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^LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.? 

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J rXITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



SPIEITUALISM, 



SATANIC DELUSION, 



AND 



A SIGN OF THE TIMES. 



BY WILLIABiIeIAMSEY, D.D., 

PASTOR OF THE CEDAR STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. 



EDITED WITH A PREFACE, 
BY H. L. HASTINGS. 



"The G-od of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly ."—Rom. xvi : 20. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y. : 
PUBLISHED BY H. L. HASTINGS, 

49 ARCADE GALLERY. 

1857. 

<5 






Entered according tc Act of Congress, in the year 1856. by 

WILLIAM BAMSEY, 

In the Office of the Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



J. J. REED^ 

PRINTER AND STEREOTYPEB, 

16 Spruce-St., N. Y. 



EDITOR'S PREj^ACE. 



The subject of spiritual agencies, and the investigation of 
their mysterious operations, is one of deep interest to mankind. 
From the earliest ages it has afforded ground for superstition, 
investigation, and speculation. Various as the theories of the 
present are found to be, they all, or nearly all, have their 
counterparts in the dim distance of ages past, and within the 
period covered by historic records, both sacred and profane. 

The belief in a race of invisible and superhuman agents, who 
are, more or less intimately concerned in terrestrial affairs, is 
found in all past ages, and is common alike to the Jews and 
the Barbarians, to the wise and the unwise, to Christians and 
to heathen. 

The subject has always been interesting. It is now increas- 
ing in interest, from the fact that attention has been called to 
it, and investigations have been made to a much greater extent 
than heretofore, especially since '^ Spiritualism " has become 
the faith of millions, and the amazement of millions more. — 
The writer had hoped ere this to have presented to the public 
a statement of the results of his researches on the subject ; he 
still hopes to do so in due time, if God permit. The subject 
is ample ; the field wide. 

The present treatise by a learned and able student and theo- 
logian, who was for years a missionary to India, and was there 
conversant with the various oriental forms of supernatural in- 
fluences, will be found interesting ; and, brief as it is, the 
writer has seen nothing that meets the requirements of the 
case so fully as this little treatise. 

The Bible is made the basis of the argument. Some Spirit- 
ualists will object to this To such, we will say that the foun- 
dations upon which that rests are neither known nor assailed 
as yet, by most who reject it with puny contempt. When they 
have given years to such investigations as those of Lardener, 
Keith, Paley, and others ; when they have answered and re- 
futed the arguments of such men as Leslie and Lyttleton, and 
countless writers who have studied the subject ; then they may 
have some claim to speak with a degree of assurance. But 



IV EDITOR S TREFACE. 

modest}^ is the truest wisdom of those who, in cavilling at 
Christianity, '• speak evil of things that they know not of," and 
whose very cavils are proofs that they know neither the doc- 
trines of tile Bible, nor the facts upon which its authority rests. 

Upon a basis — not of sacerdotal authority, but of sound rea- 
son ; not of mere theory, but of stubborn facts — we rest the 
foundations of our faith. We do not take the truths of the 
Bible for granted^ we take them as proved, and proved by a mass 
of evidence which has accumulated for ages, and which infidels 
and sceptics have never met, or tried to meet. With this basis, 
we proceed to test the veracity and reliability of those spi- 
rits who come to us from their various spheres, and who seek 
to win our assent to the propositions which they promulgate. 

In characterizing Spiritualism as " A Satanic Delusion," we 
would speak not in contempt, but in words of solemn and 
earnest admonition. We would speak as those who must give 
an account, and would most affectionately strive to teach those 
who desire information, the perils that beset their course. In 
hope that this treatise may commend itself to the candor of 
an enlightened public, it is now committed to them. That it 
contains much truth, we doubt not ; that it will subvert or de- 
stroy the rapidly increasing influence of Spiritualism, we do 
not expect. But if it shall prevent some from riskiug their 
eternal well-being in a most perilous path ; if it shall strength- 
en the faith of any who are perplexed with doubts and waver- 
ings ; if it shall be a means of recovering any from the snare 
of the fowler ere it be too late ; if it shall glorify God, exalt 
and honor His truth, and lead any to prepare and wait for the 
day of the Church's redemption, when God shall bruise Satan 
under their feet, then the labor will not have been in vain in 
the Lord. 

That it may accomplish some good, and, in the workings of 
Divine Providence, bring forth some fruit to the good of man 
and the glory of God, is alike the prayer of the author and the 
editor. h. l. h. 

Tr> T^.,„ T> T T.,rnp 1856. 



SPIEITUALISM 

A 

SATANIC DELUSION. 

CHAPTER I. 

introduction • 

The object of the present investigatioD is, to ascertain 
the character of modern Spiritualism and its significance 
as a sign of the Times. 

This subject is one that presents to the mind of the 
thoughtful reader of the Word of Grod, and the careful ob- 
server of the workings of Satan in these last days, such a 
wide field for remark, that we scarcely know where to be- 
gin, what facts to select, or where to end. It is certain that 
we are now living in strange and eventful times. There 
are agencies at work in our world other than can be seen 
by the eye of man. But this has always been the case. — 
The facts in reference to the fall of man, and his redemption 
by Christ, show us most clearly, that there are opposing 
agencies at work in reference to his present and future state 
that are outside of himself; and that man is that most im- 
portent being who concentrates the thoughts of the whole in- 
visible world upon him. 

The educational training of some, and the manifest ig- 



10 sriRiTUALis^r, a Satanic delusion, 

norance of others of the truths of the Bible, the only true 
revelation of the will of God to man, hinder multitudes from 
admitting, in all their literality and distinctness, the state- 
ments of the Word of Grod on the subject of Spirit-agency^ 
In consequence of this, reasonings on this subject, the most- 
false, puerile, and stupid, often pass at par for sound logic 
and good scriptural argument, provided they be clothed in 
the garb of scientific words and technical phraseology, the 
true meaning of which the people cannot comprehend, and 
one grand design of which is, in reality, to conceal the ig- 
norance of the men themselves, who attempt to explain what 
they do not understand, and who are, though unconscious to 
themselves, another illustration of the wonderful power of 
that influence, the very existence of which they so stoutly 
deny. 

There are many good men in our midst, highly gifted, and 
deservedly esteemed for their scientific researches and their 
patient investigation of the causes of thiogs, who are bold 
to say that the phenomena of Modern Spiritualism, are mere 
optical illusions, or juggling tricks, and that all of them can 
easily be explained upon scientific principles, and are well 
understood by those who perform them. Yea, more ; boast- 
ing of their fancied wisdom and knowledge of things beyond 
their reach, they are not slow to say that to believe in the 
facts as they exist is a sad proof of a defective education, if 
not of imbecility of mind. But these persons, with more 
correctness, might say that the solutions which they and 
their philosophic expounders give of these latter day won- 
ders, ascribing them all to mere natural agents, as electricity, 
magnetism, odic force, and we know not what else, are still 
more striking illustrations of the very deficiency which they 
so feelingly lament in the case of others. 



INTRODUCTION. 1 1 

At all events, one thing is certain : those who hold that 
there is a spiritual agency in connection with these mani- 
festations, have a cause which is adequate to the production 
of these effects — yea, and, if need be, of others far more 
wonderful than any that have as yet been exhibited. They 
go to the Word of God for a clear and proper solution of 
all these phenomena, and not to the mysterious workings of 
some hidden law of nature, nor to the teachings of an Infi- 
del or Atheistic Philosophy. 

The writers of the Sacred Scriptures nowhere attempt to 
prove the existence of God. Moses takes it for granted, 
and proceeds to state, in the first chapters of Genesis, what 
God has created. Nor do they attempt to prove the exis- 
tence of a Spiritual Being, whom they call in the Hebrew, 
Satan ; which means an opposer, a foe, an enemy. They 
speak of it as a fact that needs no proof; for the world is 
full of the evidences of his real, personal existence, and of 
his mighty power, and unremitted hatred of God and of man. 
We are fully aware of the fact that the personal existence 
of Satan is admitted by nearly all those who bear the Chris- 
tian name. It is at least among the articles of their faith. 
But by the great majority of professing Christians of the 
present day, it is so feebly realized, and so superficially re- 
garded, that their faith is, in a great degree, inoperative, and 
the fact of his existence, and influence upon the minds of 
the people, is virtually disbelieved. One striking difference 
between the experience of Christians, as recorded in the 
New Testament, and the frequent exhortations of our Lord 
and his apostles to resist the Devil, and to guard against 
his wiles, and the experience of Christians of our day, and 
the exhortations we hear on the subject now, warning us 
not to be ignorant of his devices, must be manifest to every 



12 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

one who will give the subject a mrment's reflection. They 
felt and acted as if there was a great and mighty adversary 
for them to oppose ; and they speak of their spiritual con- 
flicts with him ; but the wisdom and philosophy of our day 
have looked upon his existence as a myth, or at best, but 
another name for the wayward disposition of man. 

This, however, is not the scriptural representation of the 
matter. The Bible speaks of him as a mighty spirit, once 
holy, but now fallen through pride ; as the deceiver of man ; 
as the usurper of the dominion of this world, and as the 
Prince of this world, and also of the power of the air, and 
the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. — 
Through his influence and wiles, our first parents lost the 
image and the likeness of God in which they were created, 
and also the dominion over the earth which God had be- 
stowed on man. Satan deposed man, and took his place. 
Since then he has not ceased to exert his influence over 
man ; to enslave his mind by gross superstitions ; to de- 
base and defile his body by vile afi'ections ; to shut him out 
of heaven by leaguing him in with himself in opposition to 
God. 4-CCordingly we find that although the agent, Satan, 
is the same at all times, yet the mode of his operations dif- 
fers in difi*erent ages and among difi'erent people, according 
to the degree of their intellectual culture, or the amount 
of Scriptural truth and knowledge they niight possess. 

The debasing and sensual rights of Paganism are well 
adapted to rivet the chains cf a spiritual bondage upon a 
people who have given up the knowledge of a true God, 
and who worship demons in His stead. But in an age like 
ours, where intellectualism and mammon are the gods to 
which the masses of the people bow in humble adoration, 
Satan must suit his wiles to the spirit of the age, and to the 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

character of the people, if he would succeed in leading them 
to bow down to their gods, in the temple of reason, and to 
ignore their Creator and the revelation he has given them. 
Hence it is that no special form of Satanic delusion con- 
tinues long at one time, or in one place. The Arch-Decei- 
ver continually varies his wiles. Old forms of spiritual 
delusion pass away ; but from their seeds other forms spring 
up, which are just as far from the truth as the former. — 
Each successive age or generation boasts of its freedom from 
the follies of the past, and laughs at the ignorance and su- 
perstition of their fathers, while it is itself the victim of 
those Satanic delusions which are more in accordance with 
the circumstances, advanced knowledge, or philosophic 
spirit of the age. And just as we change our garments and 
adapt them to the season of the year upon which we may 
enter, while our nature remains the same — so will it be 
with these varied exhibitions of Satanic power ; their forms 
differ, but their essential features are the same ; and these 
varied manifestations will continue to come and to go, un- 
til the kingdom of Satan, on earth, be overthrown, the reign 
of sin be superseded by that of holiness, and the kingdoms 
of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His 
Christ. 

As the sacred writers nowhere attempt to prove the per- 
sonal existence of Satan, but always take it for granted, 
(and base their exhortations to resist his power and influ- 
ence, upon the known fact of his existence and evil charac- 
ter,) we need not attempt it. Still, we might ask those 
who deny the personal existence of Satan, and maintain that 
we are to understand by the term only the evil principle, 
or the tendency to evil that exists in human nature, how 
they would explain, on their theory, the history of the fall 



14 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELI SIGN. 

of man, and tlio subsequent temptation of our Lord ? In 
the ease of Adam, or rather of the woman, (for she was 
first in the transgression, she being deceived, while " Adam 
was not deceived" — 1. Tim. ii : 14 — but sinned under- 
standingly,) there was evidently an influence outside of her- 
gelf that was brought to bear upon her mind, so that she 
yielded to it and fell — she was conscious of that fact — and 
said so : nor is the truth of her statement called in question 
by the Lord when she, in the honesty of her heart, confess- 
ed the truth, saying, ''the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." 
The statement was admitted, in all its fullness, and upon 
that statement the Lord proceeds, at once, to pronounce 
His sentence upon the serpent, and which remains upon it, 
to the present day, and will till time shall end. The Judge 
of all the earth certainly does right. And if there were 
no tempter outside of woman, why should the Lord pro- 
nounce His curse upon her, and an additional one on a be- 
ing, distinct from her, if no such being did exist, and if he 
had not deceived her as she declared he did ? 

So also, in the case of our Lord. He had no sin. He 
was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. 
And yet He was tempted for forty days and forty nights 
in the wilderness of Judea. Demands were made of Him 
and proposals offered of such a character, as wholly to ex- 
clude the idea, (if we admit the record in the case to be 
true,) of these demands and proposals being the mere sug- 
gestions of our Lord's own mind. The thing is an impos- 
sibility. To suppose that the whole scene of the tempta- 
tion as described by the inspired penman was a mere stretch 
of the imagination of our Lord ; that He thought He was 
tempted by some one ; that He thought the Tempter 
brought forth arguments based upon a false application ot 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

the Scriptures to induce Him to yield to hu suggestions ; 
and, that He thought He answered the Tempter by correct 
quotations from the Word of God, requires an amount of 
faith (if faith it may be called,) far surpassing any thing of 
the kind that is necessary to embrace the simple, truthful 
narration of the facts as they are. But it happens to bo 
with such persons as it was with a Brahmin in India, who 
said to me once, ^' Sahib, a little truth is hard, but a big 
lie is easy to be believed." It is just so ; and we doubt 
not, that the father of lies assists them in their monstrous 
credulity as well as in their unreasonable unbelief. 

We admit the fact, then, in all its fullness, that there is 
such a being as Satan, and we fully believe all the state- 
ments that the Sacred Scriptures give of him, and of his 
workings in our world. Our Lord calls him " the Prince 
of this world," and the " god of this world ;" and he is. 
That he will, ere long, be deposed, and his usurped power 
will be taken from him, and he be cast out of this world, 
are facts clearly made known to us in the Word of God. 
He knows well that the kingdoms of this world will be 
taken from him, and that it will be done by Him who is 
^* the seed of the woman." Hence it was that Satan offer- 
ed to deliver up to our Lord the kingdoms of the world, 
which he then held, and still holds by usurpation, if He, 
the Messiah, would but fall down and do him honor, or 
thank him for them, or even accept them from his hand. 
We give Satan full credit for honesty in this case. Let 
him have his due. We believe he would have done just as 
he said he would do. He had the kingdoms of the world. 
He has them yet.* And he, doubtless, would have deliv- 

* For Satan to offer that which lie could not bestow, and over 



16 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

ered tlicm to our Lord, and would have laid down the 
usurped sceptre of power over earth, if he could, by that 
act, have acquired a greater glory, and a more exalted 
sway. And who, in the matters of trade, and of seeking 
after the wealth and the honors of this world, would not 
part with the less for the sake of the greater ? So with 
Satan. The honor received from man, or from a world of 
men, would be as naught when compared with honor and 
obeisance from ^' the Son of man." Most cheerfully would 
he have parted with all this world for one act of obeisance 
from our Lord. But, that he must not have. Satan was 
foiled in his deep-laid scheme for the final and eternal ruin 
of all the human race. No compromise in the case can be 
made with the Son of man, the rightful heir to earth, and 
all upon it. Satan will not resign his usurped authority 
and power on earth of his own free will, nor can the Son 
of man lay aside the glory and the dignity of His exalted 
nature and office, to enter upon any efforts of negociation 
with Satan for the redemption of the world from his power. 
On the contrary, He will in due time, lay hold on the usurp- 
er, bind him in chains, and cast him out of the govern- 
ments of this world for ever. 

Satan is fully aware of this fact. He knew when our 
Lord was upon the earth, that that was not the time for 

wMch he had no power, would be no temptation even to marbj 
much less to Christ, who of course knew the facts in the case. — 
But Christ was really tempted — therefore Satan had something of 
value to offer to him, namely, the kingdoms of the world and their 
glory. Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, and do we 
not see in the allurements of worldly ambition that seduce the 
heart from right and godliness, this same temptation of the adver- 
sary 7 We are not ignorant of his devices.— Ed. 



INTRODUCTION. 1 7 

his dethronement. But the time is now at hand. This he 
knows ; and hence it is that he is making special efforts, in 
various ways, throughout the whole world, to retain his pos- 
session of the earth to the last moment, and to ruin for time 
and eternity all he can, before he himself shall be cast out, 
and be shut up in the bottomless pit for the thousand years. 

Paganism and the gross forms of heathen idolatry, are 
not adapted to our present enlightened and social state. — 
The scenes of iniquity that have been witnessed in the pub- 
lic assembly, or in the secret chambers of heathen temples, 
in days past, would be too much at present for the eye of 
the refined of our day. But similar scenes may be witness- 
ed, doubtless, even now, by those who are privileged to en- 
ter within the gates that shut them out •from the vulgar 
gaze. It only needs another name : the name of ^' Love," 
or " Love" made " free," and the sanction of laws which 
Satan himself has helped to frame, to give currency and 
popularity to any forms of iniquity that have ever yet found 
favor in the eyes of a world at enmity with God. Some 
can be led as the willing slaves of their lusts. For these 
there is a lure in the shape of Socialism, Free-love-ism, 
and Mormonism, that last form of political iniquity that has 
been enthroned in our land, and which if it receives not the 
sanction of this mighty nation, is permitted to grow unmo- 
lested, and to flourish in our midst, under the fostering care 
of Satan himself 

But, there are others, whose instinctive horror of bodily 
defilement would separate them forever from those, who 
*^ corrupt themselves in those things which, as brute beasts, 
they know naturally" (Jude 10). These Satan must secure 
by other means. Reason is their god. To them, the rev- 
elations of the Most High are, at least, but enigmatical 



18 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION, 

hints of things they cannot comprehend. For the god of this 
world hath blinded their minds', lest the light of the glorious 
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine in- 
to their hearts, and give them the light of the knowledge of 
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. iv. 4-6. 
They must hare certain knowledge, and such a knowledge 
of secret and future things, as God, in His infinite wisdom, 
withholds from man ; for he would have man ^^ walk by 
faith, not by sight," 2 Cor. v. 7. But, what God withholds, 
Satan offers to impart. They would lift the veil that hides 
the unseen world from them, and seek to know from those 
who inhabit it, the things which God has hidden from them, 
and purposes they shall not know. The knowledge of Sa- 
tan is not like oiTrs. We can know nothing of the invisible 
world from our own observation. Satan can and does. — 
The invisible world is all untrodden ground to us. To him 
it is all known and familiar. He, doubtless, does and can 
know facts, and reveal them too, which it would gratify the 
curiosity of our nature to know. Facts, long since trans- 
pired, even before the birth of any now on earth, are not 
blotted out of the memory of Satan, who, we may suppose, 
retains all the knowledge he has ever had of our world for 
the past 6000 years. These facts he may communicate to 
man, (and none can prove that he cannot) ; and these facts 
being found to-be true, the door is now opened wide for the 
full belief of any number, or any kind of real or supposed 
facts that Satan may see fit to communicate. The reality 
of one truth will pave the way for many falsehoods, all of 
which may be believed with equal faith. In this way, Satan 
will satisfy the minds of multitudes of the philosophically 
wise. And as they judge they can find that knowledge 
in and through his communications which they cannot 



INTRODltCTICN. 19 

obtain from the Word of God, the result is easily foreseen. 
They will reject the revelation which God has given them, 
as a work behind the age, and not meeting the demands of 
the times. If this be not so with those who now believe in 
the revelations that God has made to them in His Word, 
they will superadd to it these supposed revelations of facts 
by Satan, and thus will they virtually set aside the Word 
of God entirely as a rule of life. 

As it is certainly revealed to us, that Satan will be cast 
out from this world, and as his efforts will be made untir- 
ingly to retain his hold upon the minds of the people, we 
may reasonably look for some special manifestations of his 
power and delusive workings before that event. These 
manifestations and miraculous workings will be so apparent 
to all those, who are savingly enlightened by the Spirit of 
God, that they will not fail to perceive, in due time, that 
they are of Satanic origin. '' They that trust in the Lord 
shall be," in these times of coming trial, " as Mount Zion 
which cannot be removed, but abideth forever," Ps. cxxv. 1. 
While those who may trust to their own fallible reasoning 
and the desires of their hearts, will be as the chaff before 
the wind, or as the stubble before the flame. 

By multitudes of Christians in our day, and of Christian 
ministers also, the study of the prophecies of God's Word 
is either neglected, or condemned. What God declares to 
be " a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn 
and the Day-Star arise" (2 Peter i. 19), they, in their pre- 
sumption have declared to be impenetrable obscurity. — 
Hence the utter misapprehension which so extensively pre- 
vails in the Church at the present time, as to the character 
and design and end of this dispensation. Peace, prosperity 
and stability are confidently predicted and fondly anticipa- 



20 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

ted by tlic men of our progressive times , "whereas conflict 
and destruction are distinctly foretold by the prophets of 
the Lord. And so intense is this deception, that, by ma- 
ny, the very workings of Satan are confounded with or 
taken for the operations of God's Spirit. They look for a 
coming glory and a brighter age for this world ; but it is 
not such as God predicts. They raise their superstructure, 
Babel-like, out of material which God purposes to destroy. 
There is a future glory in reserve for this world. But, 
it is not to be effected by the wisdom of man, the progressive 
development of the age, nor by a careful observance and 
study of the mere laws of nature. It will be the work of the 
Spirit and power of the Lord. 



CHAPTER 11. 
THE CASE STATED. 

That we may the better understand the nature of these 
spiritual manifestations, which now exist in our world, and 
which will continue to increase, though they will, doubt- 
less, be varied in their form, until Satan himself, the grand 
originator of them all, shall be cast out of this world, it 
may be well to take a brief survey of his operations, in our 
world, from the fall of man to the present time. " To the 
law and to the testimony," the revealed will of God, let 
us then go for the true light that we need on this subject. 
If we speak not according to this word, it is because there 
is no light in us. — Is. viii : 20. The opinions of Pagan, of 
Jewish, and of Christian writers on this subject, are not 
without their value. But our object is to look at this 
whole subject in the light which the inspired Word of Grod 
throws upon it. 

Taking then, in our hand, the inspired volume, the Word 
bi God, *'as a lamp to our path, and a light to our feet," 
let us enter the garden of Eden. There we find nature 
smiling in her garments of glory, as she was first robed by 
the hand of her all-wise and bountiful Creator. 

Creatures, formed by the Divine Word, and exhibiting at 
the same time, the wisdom, the goodness, and the power of 
God, dwelt in peace and harmony with each other. There 
was no ferocity in any nature. There was no enmity in 



22 SriRlTUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION 

any heart. Man, created in the image of God^ and accord 
ing to His likeness, with his beloved and sinle&s companion 
by his side, the progenitor of the race of man on the earth, 
stood up in all the Godlike dignity of his nature, the install- 
ed king over earth and all the creatures that dwelt upon 
it. How long this primeval state of purity, of blessedness 
and of peace remained, we know not. On this point the 
Word of God sheds no light. "We simply know the fact 
that man'was sinless, and that he felL 

Before the creation of man, a rebellion against the au- 
thority of God, broke out among the angels in the heavenly 
world. Satan led the way. Insolence, pride, ambition, a 
being puffed up (as the Greek word tiiphotheis^ 1 Tim. ii. 16, 
signifies), in consequence, probably, of some exalted honor 
conferred upon him by his Creator, led to his sin. Multi- 
tudes must have united with him in his schemes and plans 
of rebellion against God, whatever they may have been. — 
But in their plans they failed. They lost the glory that 
they formerly possessed, and henceforth they were deprived 
of the favor of God, and were shut out from all communion 
with God, and with the holy angels. On the particular 
sin of Satan, and the precise time when he first transgress- 
ed, the Bible reveals nothing positive, and hence we cannot 
know with certainty, what it was, or when it took place. — 
The only thing we do know, is that it was before the fall 
of man, and that Satan was instrumental in that fall. This 
must satisfy us now. 

There is a great ana important fact here, which it may 
be well to consider a moment. It is one of those mysteries 
which we cannot now fully comprehend, but we may here- 
after. The fact is this : Although Satan and his angels 
are shut out from all communion and fellowship with God 



THE CASE STATED. 23 

and the holy angels, still, they are not wholly debarred 
from all communication with heaven and holy beings. The 
testimony of the Bible is clear on this point, though Chris- 
tians may seldom think of it, or if they do, may reject it 
without much thought. Twice in the book of Job, viz : 
chap. i. 6, and ii. 1, we are told that there was a day when 
the sons of God, the holy angels, came to present them- 
selves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them 
to present himself before the Lord. While there, the Lord 
spoke to him and asked him, ^^ From whence comest thou ?" 
To which Satan replied, '^ From going to and fro in the 
earth, and walking up and down in it." Or, as the Septua- 
gint renders it — '' Having gone round the earth, and hav- 
ing walked over all that is under heaven, I am come hither." 

In 1 Kings xxii. 19, Micah, the prophet, saw the Lord 
sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing 
before Him, on His right hand and on His left. ^' And the 
Lord said, who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and 
fall at Ramoth-Grilead ? And one said on this manner, and 
another said on that manner. And there came forth a spir- 
it, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. 
And the Lord said unto him, wherewith ? And he said, I 
will go forth and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all 
his prophets. And He said, thou shalt persuade him, and 
prevail also ; go forth and do so." We would merely re- 
mark here, that God in scriptural language, is often said to 
do what he permits to be done. 

Again, Zechariah, the prophet, chap. iii. 1, ^^ saw Joshua, 
the High Priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and 
Satan standing at His right hand to resist him. And the 
Lord said to Satan, the Lord reVike thee, 0, Satan." 

In Jude, verse 9, we read that " Michael, the Archangel, 



24 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC BELUSHON. 

wlien contending with the devil, he disputed about the body 
of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, 
(or, as the Greek might be read, did not pass judgment up- 
on him for blasphemy, but referred the case to the Lord,) 
saying, the Lord rebuke thee." 

Again, in Rev. xii, the same thing is brought to our view. 
There we are told that there is to be a war in heaven — Mi- 
chael and his angels fighting against Satan and his angels. 
And the Dragon and his angels were cast out of heaven. — 
Their place was found no more in heaven. Satan, who de- 
ceived the whole world, was cast out into the earth, and 
his angels were cast out with him. Then it is, after Satan's 
complete expulsion from all access to the heavenly beings, 
and from his long held empire in the air, that we hear the 
heavenly hosts, who never sinned against God, and the ran- 
somed Church from earth, proclaiming with a loud voice in 
heaven, ^^ now is come salvation and strength, and the king- 
dom of our God and the power of His Christ ; for the Ac- 
cuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them be- 
fore God day and night. Then there is rejoicing in heaven 
by the angels, and the ransomed Church; but there is 
woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea, for the 
Devil is come down to the earth, having great wrath, for 
he hath but a.short time then to remain upon it. 

Now, without attempting to enter into any critical ex- 
amination, or extended explanation of these passages 
already quoted, we learn from them several important facts, 
some of which we will here state, We learn, 

1. That Satan, and it may be evil spirits, are not wholly 
debarred from all communicatian with God, and the holy 
angels. It does not appear that they have anv intercourse 



THE CASE STATED. 25 

with them further than their coming in conflict with them 
and opposing them. 

2. That God still uses these evil spirits, as the instru- 
ments in His hands of punishing those who may reject his 
counsels, and that when they are permitted to afflict the 
good, it is never done unless God intends to bring out of 
the affliction a greater good to the afflicted, and glory to 
His own great name. 

3. That these evil spirits may take possession of men in 
the flesh, and control them as the lying spirit took posses- 
sion of the Prophets of Ahab, and thus deceived him, if 
God permit them to do so. 

4. That the power of these evil spirits will be more won- 
derfully displayed, and their rage against God and against 
His people and the inhabitants of our world, will be more 
malignant, immediately preceding the Millennial dispensa- 
tion of the church, than they have ever yet shewn them- 
selves to be. The reason of this seems to be that they 
will, then, have only men in the flesh to operate upon, and 
that, too, only for a short time before their final expulsion 
from the earth. They will be no more permitted to accuse 
the saints of the Lord before him. 

These remarks may open up a new train of thought to 
many readers of the Bible, and one which they may not 
have hitherto been disposed to look at, or to examine. — 
But it is time that God's people, yea, and the men of the 
world, in these latter days, should think more seriously on 
this subject. Satan has mighty power, and he will exert 
that power more and more as the day of his binding draws 
nigh. He will deceive all who dwell upon the earth to 
their final undoing if they flee not to Christ, as their only 
refuge. The exhortation of our Lord comes, thereforCj 

2 



26 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

with great force to every one, '^ Watch ye, therefore, and 
pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape 
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand be- 
fore the Son of man." — Luke xxi : 36. 

But, to return from this digression to our first parents 
in the garden of Eden. 

Satan, failing in the object of his rebellion in heaven, 
came to earth and plotted the ruin of man. His plan was 
laid with consummate skill, and sad, indeed, to the world 
has been its success. Without entering now into any 
critical examination of the history of the fall of man, b}^ 
the super-human wisdom of Satan, the facts themselves are 
plain enough for any one's comprehension. In carrying 
out his malicious design, Satan, took possession of the body 
of an animal called the Nachash ; in our version, the ser- 
pent. This animal was more subtle than any beast of 
the field which the Lord God had made. He selected the 
very best instrument that was to be found, for the accom- 
plishment of his Satanic purposes. The animal either had 
the gift of speech originally from God, or when Satan took 
possession of its body, he spoke with an audible voice to 
the woman, and held a conversation with her through the 
medium of the animal. Her innocence of heart and purity 
of mind, or her ignorance, at that time, of the peculiar 
character of the animal, in its natural state, does not ap- 
pear to have excited in her the least degree of surprise in 
hearing the animal speak to her, apparently, in a human 
voice, and in a language that she could understand. Some 
of the ancient Eabbins maintained that the Nachash, 
which was more wise or artful than every wild beast (micol 
chayath) of the field, was a creature of reason and under- 
standing, and that it was formed like a human being, and 



THE CASE STATED. 27 

not as a reptile, or snake, which the wateis produced. — 
Moses arranges all the animals on earth in three classes, 
?iz. : the Chayath^ the wild beasts ; the Behaimath^ the 
tame beasts ; and the Remesh^ the creeping things. As 
the Nachash was more wise, prudent or crafty (Heb. gna- 
room) than all of the animals, they conclude that the ani- 
mal used was one of the ape tribe, a species of baboon. — 
The whole narrative accords better, they judge, with an 
animal of that description than with a mere reptile. And 
even now, in its degraded condition, it seems like a more 
fitting instrument for Satan than a mere reptile. But, 
leaving the particular nature and form of the animal out 
of the question for the present, all agree that Satan, in 
this plan of deception, concealed himself, and worked 
through the instrumentality of the Nachash^ whatever the 
animal may have been. 

From this inspired narrative we learn the following 
facts, viz : 

1. That Satan did take possession of the body of an 
animal and kept it as long as he chose. 

2. That he did so control the animal thus possessed by 
him as to make it, for the time being, lose the distinctive 
character which belonged to it, and to assume, in appear- 
ance, at least, that which belongs to another being. 

3. That he did make an innocent and unfallen human 
being imagine that she held converse with an animal, while 
she actually was holding a conversation with -Satan him- 
self. 

If he did so then, we are certainly justified in the con- 
clusion that he can do so still, if God should permit him 
to exert his power in that way. For we have no reason 



28 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

to believe that Satan lias less power, or craft, or malice 
now than he had then. 

In the history of Job we have another inspired account 
of the power of Satan and of his hatred towards the good 
of the human race, and of his intense desire to do evil be- 
yond what we may suppose he is ordinarily engaged in do- 
ing. From this account we learn the following additional 
facts, viz : 

1. That Satan prompts men to acts of robbery and mur- 
der. He stirred up the evil passions of the Sab cans, and 
caused them to attack the servants of Job as they were 
peacefully ploughing in their field. They slew all the ser- 
vants but one, and carried away the oxen and the asses. 

2. He caused fire to fall from heaven, or rather he con- 
trolled the electricity which is in the clouds, causing the 
lightning to smite the servants who tended the sheep in 
the field, and killed all the sheep and all the men except 
one, who escaped to tell the sad news. Not only were the 
men and animals killed, but they were actually burned up. 
This is an effect which is never produced by the mere 
stroke of lightning in our days ; or, if it be, it is exceed- 
ingly rare. 

3. After exciting the Chaldeans to carry off the camels, 
and to kill the servants who attended them, he raised a 
storm in the wilderness that blew down the house in which 
the ten children of Job were assembled, and slew them all, 
and all the attendants on that occasion, except one, who 
was left to communicate the fact. 

4. He laid his hand upon the body of Job, and smote 
him with a sore disease, so that, in the anguish of his soul, 
he longed for death to be freed from the bodily sufferings 
he then endured. His flesh became loathsome to himself. 



THE CASE STATF.T). 29 

His soul was scared with dreams, and terrified by visions 
and frightful appearance of horrid and unearthly things, 
so that he preferred strangling and death to life. 

From this history v/e learn that, if God permit, Satan 
has power to control the winds and the electric fluid so as 
to overthrow dwellings, destroy property to any conceivable 
amount; to take away the lives of men, and of animals; 
to afflict the bodies of men with horrible diseases ; to ter- 
rify the mind by the presentation to the imagination and 
to the eye of horrid and revolting sights ; and to disturb 
the hours of sleep by harassing the mind with terrifying 
dreams, thus making life a burden, and forcing the unhappy 
sufferer to long for death, so as to be free from such tor- 
ment. It also gives us an idea of the belief of Job as re- 
gards the influence of these things upon man after death. 
It is evident that he looked upon death as a guarantee • 
that he would be freed from the influence of Satan's power 
forever. But if death gave him no release, why should he 
long for it ? Satan is still the Prince of this world, and 
the Prince of the power of the air, and he still works in 
the hearts of the children of -disobedience. 

Not to occupy the attention of the reader any longer 
with the instances of Satan's power, as recorded in the Old 
Testament, we pass to those of the New Testament. Here 
we have a true and faithful record also of some of the won- 
derful workings of Satan. It is not our design to cite all 
these cases as given us by the inspired writers, though 
that might be profitable, but only a few as mere specimens 
of the whole, to show that the same mind originates them 
all, though the manifestations may be different. To any 
one, who is willing to receive the plain and unvarnished 
statements of the sacred writers, there can be no difficulty 



30 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

in accounting for ail these wonders. Indeed, it requires 
no small amount of false reasoning to adduce even a plausi- 
ble argument to sliow that the direct agency of Satan was 
not emploj-ed in their production. 

Many suppose that the possessions in old times, were 
confined entirely to the Jewish people, and in a great de- 
gree to the times of our Lord. But this, certainly, is not 
the fact. They were found among the Gentiles also. The 
young woman, who had the spirit of Python (divination) as 
stated by Luke, Acts xvi : 1 1-20, was a Gentile. She 
was a Greek, and resided at Philippi, in Macedonia. We 
are sadly mistaken if we think that Satan has nothing to 
do with any body but the Jews. He has as warm friends, 
and as faithful servants, and as devout followers among 
the Gentiles as he ever had among the Jews. We do not 
think that the Gentiles need yield the palm to the Jews 
for fidelity to the cause of Satan. They certainly have 
nothing to lose in this respect, in comparison with their 
brethren. 

As to the demoniacs being more abundant in the days 
of our Lord's incarnation, than at any other time before, 
or after it, cannot be proved, though the learned Joseph 
Mede, in his sermon on John x : 20, suggests that it was 
so. (See his works, p. 28. Ed. 1772.) The frequent ac- 
counts we have in the gospels of the doings of evil spirits, 
during the time of our Lord's ministry in Judea, is not 
owing to the fact, that they were any more busy in de- 
ceiving the souls of men, and in injuring their bodies then 
than in former times ; but, it is owing to the fact, that we 
have there more recorded instances of the power of our 
Lord so signally displayed, in casting them out of men, 
women and children, than before, thus proving to the Jews, 



EXISTENCE OF SATAN. 31 

as well as to the Gentiles, tliat He was the true Messiah, 
the seed of the woman, and the promised King of Israel. 
We have no reason to believe that Satan does not now 
possess the souls and bodies of men in our world just as 
much as ever he did. God certainly is no better pleased 
with the corrupt workings of the human heart now than 
ever he was. And it will be a difficult thing to prove that 
the heart of the world, which is still at '^ enmity with Grod," 
is any more in love with holiness and purity and the glory 
of the Lord, than it was eighteen hundred years ago. Had 
we inspired information on this subject, we would, doubt- 
less, find that multitudes of persons are now under the 
direct teachings and control of Satan and of evil spirits ; 
and, that their conduct, which is in open violation of the 
laws of Grod, and of all the decencies and proprieties of life, 
and which is put down to the score of eccentricity of char- 
acter, where ignorance, brutality, or native depravity of 
heart, should be accredited to Satan, the master spirit that 
rules and controls his wretched subjects at his will. 

SATAN. 

Satan is a personal existence and not a mere principle. 
He is an angelic being whom God created good as He did 
all things. But he sinned against God, and was cast down 
from the high position he once occupied. It would seem 
that pride was his sin. — I Tim. iii. 6. But, how sinful 
feeling could first enter a holy heart we may never find 
out. The fact we do know. Satan did sin. What his 
name was before his sin we know not. This is his name 
since. 

The word Satan means an adversary, an opposer. It is 
never found in the plural number, so that the sacred wri- 



32 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

tcrs acknowledge but one Being of that name. He is 
styled by our Lord ^^ The Prmce of this world," (John 
xii : 3) ; by the Apostle, '' The Prince of the power of the 
air," (Ep. ii : 2) ; and by the Jews, ^^ The Prince of the 
demons," (Matt, ix : 34). The Septuagint translate the 
word Satan hy the word Diaholos^ which means an Ac- 
cuser^ a Slanderer. He is also called in the New Testa- 
ment by a variety of names, indicative of his character 
and conduct, as Accuser, Destroyer, Liar, Murderer, &c. 
Nor is it any slander to say that he justly deserves them 
all. 

The sacred writers and our Lord say there is a Devil, 
and but one. But, it is becoming the fashion now to deny 
his personal existence, to think that our Lord and the 
Apostles only spoke in accordance with the silly notions 
of those of their day, who supposed there was a being call- 
ed Satan or the Devil, and that they themselves did not 
really believe in his existence. This is surely a progres- 
sive age — in unbelief of the word of Grod, at least, what- 
ever else may stand still. But the very fact that the per- 
sonal existence of Satan is denied by so many in our day, 
by many professing Christians, and a few who bear the 
name of ministers of Christ, as well as by those who deny 
the Word of God entirely, is to our mind one of the strong- 
est proofs of the personal existence of such an Arch-De- 
ceiver. This is one of what the Apostle calls ^' ta lathe 
ton Satana, the depths of Satan," (Eev. ii: 24). We can 
fully endorse the language of Dr. A. Clarke, who, speaking 
on the denial of Satan's existence, says : " Satan knows 
well that they who deny his being will not be afraid of his 
power and influence ; will not watch against his wiles and 
devices ; will not pray to God for deliverance from the 



SATAN AND DEMONS. 33 

Evil One ; will not expect him to be trampled down under 
their feet if he has no existence ; and, consequently, they 
will become an easy and unopposing prey to the enemy of 
their souls. By leading men to disbelieve and deny his 
existence, he throws them off their guard. He is then 
their complete master, and they are led captive by him at 
his will. It is well known that among all those who make 
any profession of religion, those who deny the existence of 
the Devil, are they who pray little or none at all ; and 
are, apparently, as careless about the existence of God as 
they are about the being of the Devil. Duty to God is 
with them out of the question, for those who do not pray 
especially in private^ (and I never knew a devil-denier who 
did), have no religion of any kind (except the form) what- 
ever pretensions they may choose to make." 

One of the most striking proofs of the personal exist- 
ence of Satan, which our times afford us, is found in the 
fact, that he has so influenced the minds of multitudes in 
reference to his existence and doings, as to make them be- 
lieve that he does not exist ; and that the hosts of Demons 
or Evil Spirits, over whom Satan presides as Prince, are 
only the phantacies of the brain, some halucination of mind. 
Could we have a stronger proof of the existence of a mind 
so mighty as to produce such results ? Surely we have 
need to pray ^'Deliver us from the Evil One, apo tou po- 
nerouy Matt, vi : 13. 

The word Daimon^ in the New Testament, is usually 
rendered by one word Devil. But this is evidently im- 
proper, as it would lead us to believe that there are many 
devils, whereas there is and can be but one. And surely 
one is enough for any world ; yea, one too many. Daimon 
in the New Testament always means an evil spirit, who is 



34 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

under Satan's control; a Demon. Ere long Satan will be 
cast out from tliis world, and with him all the host of de- 
mons, or evil spirits, who fell with him and who are under 
his control ; then we shall have neither devil nor demon 
here. 

NE^V TESTAMENT POSSESSIONS. 
In the gospels by Matt, viii : 28-33, Mark v : 1-16, and 
Luke viii : 26-36, we have a detailed account of two men 
who met our Lord when he came into the country of the 
Gergesenes, which lay on the east of the sea of Tiberias, in 
the land of Palestine. They were possessed with demons, 
daimonizomenoi. They had left the society of their friends 
and their homes, and took up their abode in the tombs. — 
These tombs {mnemaia) are very abundant in some parts 
of the Eastern world to this day. They are houses built 
over the graves of distinguished or wealthy persons by the 
governments of which they were honored members, or by 
their relatives. They are of different sizes and shapes. — 
Some of them are built square, others round, and from ten 
to thirty feet high. The most of those that are yet to be 
found in India were built by the Mohammedans. They 
are now used as dwellings or as stopping-places for travel- 
ers, being fitted up for these purposes. But formerly, no 
one dwelt in them — the friends of the deceased only visit- 
ing them occasionally as places of prayer. I have often 
lodged in these tombs while on missionary tours. We 
found them comfortable lodgings ; and to those who are 
fond of retirement, they afford an agreeable resting-place. 
These men who met our Lord had been lodging in these 
tombs. They were exceedingly fierce ; so much so that it 
was dangerous for any person to pass by the place where 
they were. The people of the country had often bound 



THE DEMON'.ACS — A LEGION. 35 

them with chains and fetters of ordinary strength, but 
they broke their chains, tore off all their clothing, and 
escaped, " being driven by the demon into the wilderness 
or desert places." Not only would they injure others^ but 
they also injured themselves, cutting themselves with stones. 
No human power could subdue them. When they saw our 
Lord comicg towards them they recognized him at once, 
and cried out in a loud voice, '^ Jesus, thou Son of God 
most High, what have we to do with thee? Art thou 
come hither to torment us before the time ? We adjure 
thee by God that thou torment us not." And Jesus 
asked him, saying, " What is thy name ?" And he said, 
^' Legion ;" for many demons had entered into him. They 
then besought our Lord that he would not cast them out 
into the bottomless pit or abyss — eis ton ahysson. — Luke 
viii : 31 ; Rev. xx : 3. (The same Greek work is used in 
both these places) ; but that he would permit them to 
enter into the swine, some two thousand in number, that 
were feeding near the mountains a good way off. Our 
Lord commanded them to come out of the men, and giving 
them permissioD, they entered the swine, and so alarmed 
them that they all ran violently down a steep place into 
the sea, and were drowned. The men who kept the swine, 
when they saw what had happened to them, were alarmed, 
and fled into the city, telling everybody they met what had 
happened. Tn consequence of this news, the people, excited 
by curiosity, went out to see what had transpired. And 
when the people of the city saw the poor demoniac sittiog 
at the feet of Jesus, ch thed with proper garments that 
had been furnished him, and in the possession of his right 
mind, they felt afraid. But when the people of the country 
round about came and learned from those who had wit- 



So SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

nessed the scene, tlicy felt differently. They were also 
taken with great fear, but their covetousness got the better 
of their benevolence. They thought only of the swine; 
and if Jesus would let all the demons enter them, the 
hope of their gains would be gone. Hence, they besought 
him most earnestly to depart, and leave them the demons 
and their swine. I doubt if they ever prayed so fervently 
before. Jesus heard their prayers, and left the country. — 
But the people of the city felt differently, for the demoniacs, 
at least one of them, was sent back to his own home by 
our Lord, with the commission to show to the people what 
great things God had done for him. He did so ; and the 
people of the town who knew the poor possessed man, re- 
ioiced with him in his deliverance. And when they heard 
that our Lord was about to return to the country, the people 
went out to meet him, and received him gladly. Such dis- 
plays of the power of God now in saving sinners, would in 
many cases meet with similar treatment. There are multi- 
tudes now who would greatly prefer that Jesus should de- 
part from their midst, rather than have him cast the evil 
spirits out of their neighbors, if by his doing so they should 
lose any of their swine or any of their unlawful gains. It 
is a blessed truth that all are not so. 

In the gospel of Mark i : 23-26, we have an account of 
a man who was in the synagogue of the Jews in Caper- 
naum, and who had an unclean spirit in him. (So these evil 
spirits do go to church sometimes.) When our Lord en- 
tered and began to expound the Word of God to the peo- 
ple, the man, or the spirit in him, cried out, saying, 
" Let us alone. What have we to do with thee^ thou Jesus 
of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us ? I know 
thee who thou art — the Holy One of God.'' " And Jesus 



A SPIPwIT OF INFIRMITT. 37 

rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 
And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with 
a loud voice, he came out of him. The people were 
amazed, and said. What thing is this ? What new doctrine 
is this ? for with authority He commandeth even the un- 
clean spirits, and they do obey him." 

The Evangelist Luke, who was a physician also, records 
the case of a woman, a Jewess, who had been bowed down 
by what he calls a spirit of infirmity {pneuma astheneias,) 
This was a different kind of spirit from those who were 
called '^ unclean," or '^ dumb," or merely evil, though they 
all were evil. The mode by which this spirit afflicted her 
was, probably, by curving her spine. Such was the effect 
of his power on her, that she could not lift herself up for 
the space of eighteen years ! When our Lord saw her, 
he called her to him and said to her, ^' Woman, thou art 
loosed from thine infirmity !" And He laid hands on her, 
and she was made straight immediately, and glorified Grod. 
When the hypocritical ruler of the synagogue saw what 
had been done, he answered with indignation because the 
woman had been healed on the Sabbath day. Hypocrites 
are always great sticklers for forms and ceremonies, but 
pay very little regard to the soul and spirit of true reli- 
gion. Our Lord reproved this hypocrite, telling him that 
if he himself would, as an act of mercy, on the Sabbath 
loose his ox or his ass, and lead the animal to a watering 
place where it might slake its thirst and save its life, so 
ought this daughter of Atraham, whom Satan had bound 
for eighteen years^ be loosed from her bond on the Sabbath 
day.- — Luke xiii : ] 1-17. 

All that we say, at present, in reference to this case, is 
that it argues little for Luke's medical knowledge if he 



SPIRITUALITY, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

mistook the case and tlic nature of the disease ; and as 
little for the veracity of our Lord if that disease and in- 
firmity had not been produced by an evil spirit. The 
hinder is one thing and the bond is another ; they cannot 
be the same. 

There is but one case more of those recorded in the New 
Testament that I would refer to at present, and that is the 
case of that good woman, Mary Magdalene. The Evange- 
list Mark says that our Lord, after his resurrection, " ap- 
peared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast 
seven demons." — Mark xvi : 9. They were demons, not 
diseases. 

It is clear from this declaration that she had been 
greatly afflicted by evil spirits. Why this number took 
possession of her, the Bible does not say, and hence we do 
not know. There is, probably, no woman whose name is 
recorded in the Sacred Scriptures, whose character has 
been more slandered than that of Mary of Magdala. There 
seems to have been a special effort made to make her char- 
acter so surpassingly vile, that the contrast in her conver- 
sion might be so much the greater, and that Grod thereby 
might get the greater glory. But the opinion that she 
was possessed by seven demons " on account of her wicked- 
ness," as Ambrose and Jansenius affirm, is without the 
least foundation in truth. She was no more to be blamed 
for being possessed by seven demons, than the man was out 
of whom a legion (five thousand) were cast, or the child 
who was possessed by but one. Jerome speaks favorably 
of her character and standing before her conversion. The 
probability is that she was a lady of great respectability 
and wealth in Galilee before her conversion, and that after 
it she was, next to the mbth-er of Jesus, the most highly 



MODERN MANIFESTATIONS. 39 

favored of women, for slie was the first herald of s. risen 
Eedeemer. Andricomius says that '' Magdalum was the 
castle of Mary Magdalene, where she was born and where 
she was healed." But it is the fashion for Protestants and 
Romanists to defame her character, and they will do it. — 
But surely it is bad enough to have her afflicted by seven 
real demons without being reproached for what she could 
not help, and charged with being what she was not. It is 
a pity that so many Christians allow themselves so easily 
to fall into sentiments based upon the loose remark of some 
old father in the church, who was probably no better than 
he ought to be in the very things he charges upon the in- 
nocent. When will the day come when the dogmas of men 
will be wholly set aside, and the Word of the Lord alone 
shall be the basis of thought and feeling, of word and of 
act ? Lord; hasten the blissful day ! 

MODERN MANIFESTATIONS. 

We enter now upon a most interesting part of our sub- 
ject, viz; the consideration of spirit manifestations, as 
they are now witnessed in this land or in others. And here 
we must rely, in a great degree, upon the eyes and ears of 
others ; for we have ourselves seen but few, comparatively 
speaking, of the many things that these spirits have done, 
and are yet doing in the midst of us. We have no dispo- 
sition to call in question any of the facts which have been 
carefully and properly reported. Nor do we think that 
those who affirm that they have witnessed the phenomena 
which they describe, are mistaken, and that their senses of 
seeing, hearing and feeling have all deceived them. We 
cannot believe that they would affirm for truths, what they 
know to be false. It cannot be ; for many of these witnes- 



40 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

ses are persons of undoubted veracity. They are men who 
would scorn to tell a lie on any account ; and surely they 
could have no motive arising from worldly gain or appro- 
bation to do so. They are men of good sense, of sound and 
sane minds. Men of good judgment ; men who can dis- 
criminate, as well as any others, between the true and the 
false ; men who are in no way inferior to those around them, 
and whose testimony in a court of justice, on all subjects 
of which they have any personal knowledge, would be ta- 
ken without the least hesitation. All this we say because 
we believe it. Among those who have witnessed these phe- 
nomena, are men in all the walks of life ; men of science and 
of learning, physicians, judges, ministers, merchants, men 
of business in all the avocations of life, sober and sedate, as 
well as those who are of more excitable or enthusiastic tem- 
perament of mind. Surely, it cannot be that all these per- 
sons have been deceived as to all they have seen and heard. 
If the whole has been a mere trick, and if all these persons 
have been led to acknowledge phantasies for facts, then the 
wonder is a greater one still than that concerning which 
they testify. 

There are, no doubt, many who, for the sake of gain, en- 
deavor to impose upon the more credulous among the people, 
by base imitations of these phenomena. But the cheat can 
easily be detected by those who seek for the truth in the 
case. And the very fact itself that some attempt to imitate 
these wonders, proves that they are realities in the true 
sense of the word. Among those who claim a no higher 
character than that of mere mimics in these matters, we 
apprehend that there are none whose name or standing in 
society, would entitle them to any respect from others, while 
they have none from themselves. They are soon among the 



MANIFESTATIONS IN INDIA. 41 

things that were. They even fall beneath contempt. They 
soon are out of mind. 

But that persons of hitherto-known respectability of char- 
acter, of amiable dispositions, of moral worth, and of a 
godly life, and the firm believers in the truths of revelation, 
sl^ould suddenly rise up and proclaim to the world that 
things were done through them by a power outside of them- 
selves, and in opposition to their own choice or will in the 
case, while at the same time, they attempted to practice 
deception upon the community, whose ears and eyes and 
senses were all awake to expose the cheat, if it be a cheat, 
and then demand of us faith in the reality of the things 
done, is asking of us a larger amount of faith than would 
be necessary to believe all the ghost-stories that have ever 
been published to the world since there was a pen to record 
them till now. Making all due allowance, then, for those 
who will lie, yet there are so many persons, both old and 
young, who cannot be deceived themselves, and who cannot 
possibly be attempting to deceive others, and who testify in 
the honesty of their hearts, to things they have heard and 
seen, we hesitate not to admit fully and freely the reality 
of all, each and every fact they state. The facts themselves 
however are one thing ; the true explanation of thenl is an- 
other, and a very different thing. We seek the truth, and 
if we find it, we shall not fear to proclaim it; for ^^ Truth 
is mighty, and must prevail." 

A SCENE IN INDIA. 
There are a few things which have come under our own 
observation, in connection with this subject, which we 
would now state. As to the facts themselves, we know 



42 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

that we were not deceived. Our explanation of them we 
shall give hereafter. 

On the evening of Feb. 9th, 1834, about 6 o'clock, while 
standing in the door of Mr. Ropers' house in AuruDgabad, 
India, I saw a crowd of people going towards a small 
Hindoo temple, which was in sight, and near at hand. On 
enquiry, I found that they were going to offer up two lambs 
in sacrifice to the god Vetal, the king of the demons, or in 
other words, to the Devil. In company with Mr. Roper 
and another gentleman, we followed the crowd. There 
were some forty persons in all, including the women and 
children. It was a family sacrifice, and was to be offered 
in fulfillment of a vow. A few persons playing on instru- 
ments of music, such as are used on these occasions, led 
the way. Then followed two men bringing the lambs for 
sacrifice. The one was carried on the shoulders of one of 
the men : the other was led. Both of them were decorated 
with garlands of flowers. After these followed a person, 
carrying the sacred fire, and next in order the families 
concerned. When they arrived at the temple, which was 
a small building, some twelve or fifteen feet square, the 
people bowed down before the idol, which was within and 
opposite the door, and then walked round the temple 
twice. A lamp was then lit from the sacred fire and 
placed in the temple immediately before the idol. The 
person who officiated on this occasion was a priestess, with 
a wild look, disheveled hair, and with garments that needed 
washing. Her dress was the usual dress of the Hindoo 
women in that part of the country, viz., theckolee^ or body 
dress, a kind of spencer, the sleeves reaching only to the 
elbows , and tlie loogurda^ a garment wrapped round the 
v/aist and ex ten dine below the knee. On the left sleeve 



MANIFESTATIONS IN INDIA. 43 

of her dress, small patches of red flannel had been sewed 
to represent the small-pox, which she professed to be able 
to cure. She was assisted by a man, the counter-part of 
herself in appearance. The priestess then marked the fore- 
heads of all the people with red paint, such as was on the 
idol. Having washed her hands in clean water, she took 
a handful of the small branches of the kurdoonimh^ the 
bitter-lime-tree, and tied them together in the form of a 
broom. This she held in her hand while her assistant 
poured upon it a vessel full of water. While engaged in 
washing these branches she continued to mutter something 
in a low and rapid tone of voice, which no one could dis- 
tinctly hear, and to which no one seemed to pay any at- 
tention. This being over, she ordered her assistant to 
wash the head and forelegs of one of the lambs with water, 
into which she had thrown some salt and some of those 
bitter leaves. The head of the lamb was next marked with 
the red paint. Some of the bitter leaves and salt were 
given it to eat, but it refused them. Its mouth was open- 
ed and some of the salt and water and another fluid, (but 
what I could not learn,) were forced down its throat. This 
seemed to stupify the animal, so that being let loose, it 
staggered about among the people. After a few minutes, 
one of the company gave it a gentle tap on the side of the 
head, which caused it to turn its face towards the door of 
the temple. As soon as this was done, the sacrificer seized 
it, threw it forcibly on its left side, the head being towards 
the door, and immediately cut off its head and the right 
leg at the knee. These were moved up and down before 
the idol, and then placed before the door of the temple. 
When the lamb had ceased to move, it was dragged to one 
side, where it was left. All this time the priestess stood 



44 SPirdTUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

by and was muttering something to herself. She now 
stepped forward to the blood, holding the little bundle of 
branches over it in her hand, and while the sacrificer pour- 
ed water on it, she sopped it in the water and the blood, 
and proceeded to sprinkle all the people in the blood of 
the sacrifice, having first sprinkled the idol and the door- 
posts of the temple. When she came to us, as we stood at 
the end of the semi-circle of the crowd, she stopped and 
frowned, as if considering whether to sprinkle us or not. 
Then going to the door of the temple, she stood gazing in 
upon the idol, and while she continued her muttering, the 
brush dropped from her hand. She started back, and in 
a frantic-like manner began to jump and scream and pull 
her hair. On a sudden she was seized with trembling 
through her whole body — her arms were extended — her, 
mouth was wide open, and her eyes rolled from side to side. 
Again she jumped, and groaned, and raved, and screamed, 
and finally was thrown back full length as if lifeless to the 
ground. Her fall was broken by two of the women pre- 
sent, who sprang forward and broke her fall, which, if they 
had not done, it seems to me, it would have knocked her 
own or some other spirit out of her, and brought her to 
her senses ; or, at least, must have injured her much. 
After lying on the ground stretched out for some time ap- 
parently lifeless and stiff, she began to move, rose up slow- 
ly and gradually, and resumed her former appearance. She 
then addressed the people and told them that the god had 
accepted their sacrifice. This being ended, one of the 
company paid her a i^^ jpice (a small copper coin less than 
the value of our cent,) for her services ; the musicians 
struck up their music ; the company formed in a line and 
returned back to their homes. 



MANIFESTATIONS IN INDIA. 45 

FindiDg the old l,ady pretty calm in mind, and looking 
intently at the money she had just received, I approached 
her, and began to enquire about the sacrifice and the 
meaning of what I had witnessed. But, whether she 
thought that our design was to injure her, or in some way 
to molest her, we know not ; she kept silent ; and when 
urged to speak, she began to whine, and pretended to be 
afraid of us, as perhaps she was. Gaining no informa- 
tion from her, we left her. From the assistant we merely 
learned the additional fact that, while the god was pleased 
with the honor conferred on it, so were they with what 
they had received, two lambs and some money. 

I need hardly say that the whole scene interested me ex- 
ceedingly at the time. The fact that the lambs were with- 
out hlemish ; that they were brought to the door of the 
temple (their tabernacle) ; that salt and bitter herbs were 
used ; that the head and foreleg were ivaved before the idol ; 
that the idol, the doorposts of the temple, and the people, 
were sprinkled with the hlood of the sacrifice ; and that the 
lambs were left for the use of the priestess, and the atten- 
dants on the temple — all tended to show that sacrifices, as 
they now exist among the Hindoos, must have had their 
origin in imitation of those appointed by the Lord and 
practiced by Israel. 

But in reference to this whole matter, and especially the 
ravings and the contortions and convulsions of the possess- 
ed, I would say, that the universal opinion of the people 
is, that they are wholly involuntary on their part. Their 
idea is that the god, which they say dwells in or near the 
idol, and to which the sacrifice is ofi'ered, and which, as in the 
present case, comes out of the idol and takes possession of 
the woman, through her speaks to the people, giving them 



46 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

the information tliey may need. The Hindoos fully believe 
that the god which is a demon or evil spirit, does take pos- 
session of the bodies of individuals. Whatever the person 
may do in that state of frenzy, is considered as the act of the 
god, and not of the person possessed. That the Devil does 
now, at times, possess people, is the firm faith of all the 
Mohammedan population. The Hindoos believe that the 
same effects are produced by their Rackshus^ or evil spirits. 
The priests have their fixed rules, by which they profess to 
determine the question whether the possession be a real one 
or not. If it be real, according to their rules, then the per- 
son thus possessed, may be worshipped for the time being 
as the god itself. They do oftentimes worship the Devil 
They pray to him, they ask him to take possession of them. 
And is it unreasonable to suppose that their prayers in this 
matter may be answered ? That there is any trick on the 
part of these possessed ones, seems to be impossible. The 
natives who look on give them credit for honesty, at least, 
in the matter; and those who are Christians, who have wit- 
nessed them, so far as I have known their views, agree in 
the fact that they are veritable possessions. Probably every 
missionary in India has witnessed something of the same 
kind. The reader will find a short and interesting article 
on the subject in Rev. Dr. Allen's work on ^'India, Ancient 
and Modern," p. 384. 

In conversing recently with a missionary from India, he 
mentioned two instances of demoniacal possessions which 
came under his own observation. One was that of a boy 
in one of the schools at Bombay. While the missionary 
was in the school, and giving instruction to the youth as- 
sembled, one of the lads was seized and thrown down upon 
the floor : he began to groan, and foam at the mouth, and 



HINDOO CHILDREN AND CONVERTS. 47 

was thrown about in a most singular manner. The mis- 
sionary went towards him to raise him up. The boys cried 
out, " Bhootagrust, Sahib ;" that is, '' He is possessed." 
After some time, they carried him home. 

One of the Hindoo converts, before her conversion, had 
been grievously tormented by the demons. After she had 
become a Christian, and had united herself to the church, 
one of her acquaintance asked her if the ^' Bhoots," the de- 
mons, troubled her now. She replied, ^' I believe now in Je- 
sus, and they don't come near me any more." 

Now, whatever others may think on the subject, one thing 
is certain, she really believed that she had been, and that, 
too, for years tormented by demons ; and it is presumed 
that she should know; but after she had embraced the 
truth, as it is in Christ, and placed her hopes and trust in 
Him, the evil spirits left her. We have her views of her 
own case. Was she mistaken ? Are we sure she was not 
right as to what had been the matter with her ? 

As to the boys in the school, they had no doubt of the 
fact that their young companion was possessed by a demon. 
We state these cases merely to show what the opinion of the 
people is on this subject. Others may attribute it all to' 
the effect of imagination, or to simple disease. But can 
they prove that that disordered imagination, or that disease 
by which the person may be afflicted, is not itself the pro- 
duction of an evil spirit ? But of this we will speak again. 

It is evident from the statements of travelers from the 
various parts of the heathen world, that the belief in 
spirits, distinct from man in the flesh, is, generally speak- 
ing, prevalent amoDg the people. Not only do the people 
believe that they do exist, but these spirits can also take 
possession of the bodies of men. There may be, and doubt- 



43 SFIKITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

less is, much superstition connected with the faith of the 
people on these subjects; but still, their faith has its 
foundation in truth. The Old and New Testament writero 
speak of the existence of such evil spirits and influences, 
and we have no reason to think that they have yet been 
wholly expelled from the abodes of men. 

The Rev. Joseph Wolff, the missionary to the Jews, and 
' of world-wide fame, in his published account of .his travels 
through Bokhara, AffghanistaD, and India, gives us the 
views of the people of Cashmere and others on the subject, 
and also his own. He was charged by Lieut. Burnes with 
having cast a demon out of some godless Mohammedan 
somewhere near Cabool, and this was considered proof 
positive that the honored missionary was insane. When 
Mr. Wolff was with me in Philadelphia, I asked him par- 
ticularly abou.t the matter. The account he gave me was 
substantially this : He said that one evening while sitting 
in a tent with some Mohammedans and others, and dis- 
cussing subjects in reference to the character of Jesus of 
Nazareth, and the plan of salvation by him, a Mohamme- 
dan cried out and iaterrupted their conversation by such 
•Linear thly gr.oanings, and language; and actions, that_ being 
fully convinced that he was possessed by an evil spirit, Mr. 
W. turned to him, and fixing his eyes upon him, said, '' In 
the name of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, I 
command thee to be silent !" and immediately the man 
was silent. He became calm, and continued so during the 
remainder of the interview. Others may form their own 
opinion of the matter, but the united opinion of Mr. W. 
and the company with him v/as, that the m.an was a demo- 
niac, and just such as we read of in the New Testament. — 
V/e may be mistaken, but we think it will be found that 



WITCHCRAFT. 49 

the most of our Christian missionaries who have labored 
for any length of time in any part of the heathen world, 
have witnessed such scenes as correspond very well with 
the scriptural account of demoniacal possessions. And if 
they are not in reality demoniacal possessions, which the 
people themselves believe they are, it will be difficult to 
account for them on any other theory. 

\7 I T C H C R A F T . 

Since the entrance of the Evil One into our world, the 
evidences of his power and evil workings are abundant. — 
In every land you find them. They are in every age, and 
among all nations. None are exempt. Our own country 
has not escaped. Satan does not need the assistance of 
steam power to transport himself or his angels from one 
land to another. He visited America long before the in- 
troduction of machinery, by which our sluggish bodies may 
be carried from place to place. He is the Prince of the 
power of the air — and although not omnipresent nor om- 
niscient, yet he has agencies constantly at work, so that 
his influence is felt, and constantly too, throughout the 
world. 

There are but few in our country now v>^ho have not read 
or heard something of the cruel hunt after witches and 
wizards (or, in the improved language of the present day, 
mediums) in England, Scotland, Sweden, and America, 
from the year 1640 down to 1692, or later, and of the sad 
results of that movement, both here and there. After two 
hundred years have rolled away, we of this day may sup- 
pose that we understand these matters better than the 
learned of that day. Perhaps we do. But after all, can 
we give a satisfactory solution of those sad operations 



50 SriRlTUALlSM, A SATANIC DELUSION, 

without rcferriDg them, at least in some degree, to somethiog 
more than mere wild imaginings or unrestrained fanati- 
cism? Wc are astonished now to see the names of the 
great men of that age, in all those countries and here also, 
judges, governors, jurors, ministers, and people, learned 
and influential, all uniting in condemning to death, hang- 
ing, drowning, and torturing men, but especially helpless 
women and children, because the people believed that they 
were under the influence of Satan ; and some of them, to 
save their lives, by confession, declared they were. It is 
truly sad to think of the cold-blooded and deliberate mur- 
ders that were then committed under the sanction of law, 
and for the honor, as they thought, of the religion of Jesus, 
that proclaims peace and good will to men. We fully be- 
lieve the testimony of Scripture in reference to the wicked- 
ness of the heart of man by nature. But bad as the human 
heart is, we do not believe that it is so bad as to act, as we 
know it did during that reign of witch-terror, without aid and 
assistance from without — even from Satan himself. We 
doubt not that many of those unhappy victims were under 
Satanic influence, and that too, like the poor demoniacs 
of old, without any will or wash of their own. But we 
also believe, and have fully as much evidence, if not more 
in the case, that the judges and jurors, the ministers and 
the people, who engaged in that unrighteous work of con- 
demning and executing so many of their fellow-beings, 
were themselves under the direct influence of the Devil. — 
They had the power in their own hands ; and hence, 
they saved their own lives. Satan raised the storm, and 
kept it up and controlled it so as to accomplish the 
object he had in view, namely, the ruin of many, and the 
bringing a reproach upon the religion of Christ, through 



WITCHCRAFT. 5| 

its professed adherents, whom he himself had possessed. 
If there be guiltiness in the matter, and no doubt there is, 
we judge it is not to be chargeable so much to those who 
were involuntarily the subjects of those delusions as to 
those who lent themselves, as the willing servants of Satan, 
for the time being, in persecuting and killing those who 
needed rather their prayers and their sympathies, and es- 
pecially deliverance from the power of the Devil by the 
grace of God. 

At the present time, we have in this country the mani- 
festations of Satanic influence, which are neither '-'• few nor 
far between." They may be arranged under two general 
classes, viz. : 

1. Those which are more immediately connected with 
the moving of material objects ; and~ 

2. Those which exhibit a mind in connection with them, 
I.. A controlling them. 

As to the first of these — viz., the movements of material 
objects — we have published accounts of them, which, if 
particular cases be necessary, are sufficient to satisfy any 
reasonable mind of their reality ; for we have them in any 
reasonable quantity and variety. 

Having already stated that we have no reason to call in 
question the truth of many of these published accounts, as 
to the facts themselves, we hesitate not to refer to them as 
faots. As to the explanation of those facts, we express no 
opinion here : we reserve that for another place. 

Taking then the statements which are given us by mul- 
titudes of individuals over their own signitures, and whose 
testimony we do not venture to question, we have the move- 
ment of tables by persons laying their hands upon them, 
and rappings, and noises in any conceivable quantity. So 



52 SriRlTUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

far as wc learii, the mode of operation is this. A few si^ 
at a table, one of whom must be a medium ; that is, if we 
understand the term, a connecting link between the visible 
and invisible ; and one, through whom the invisible agent 
may work. They lay their hands upon it ; they sit in 
silence, and in due time the table begins to move. At 
first the table was spoken to as an intelligent being, and 
asked sundry questions, according to the fancy of the ques- 
tioner. These would be answered by tilting up and down. 
One tilt is no ; two are doubtful, and three are yes. The 
table was then asked to stand on one foot, and it would do 
so ; to walk about, and to answer all sorts of questions. 
All of which, whether the answers were right or wrong, 
seemed to please the operators, and the spectators much 
Afterwards the questions were put, and are now put, when 
these things are done, to the invisible agent who, it is said, 
moves the table. The form now is — " "Will the spirit tell 
us ;" or, if a name be given, ^' Will M. or N. answer our 
question ?" So that now the intercourse is held between 
the livicg, and the invisible, through a mere table. It was 
said at first, by nearly all, and by many yet, that all this 
is the efi'ect of electricity, or of the operation of one of the 
minds present. 

But here is a table on which no hands are laid. It is 
requested to rise, or the spirits are requested to raise it up 
for the gratification of those present. It does rise, and 
does remain suspended in the air. No hand touches it ; 
no trick has done it. But it is done. Here, so far as 
human eyes can see, the laws of gravitation are suspended, 
or in some way overcome, so that the table does remain 
suspended in the air. Does electricity or magnetism also 
do that ? What law of niiture is there, so far as we know 



TABLE TirPiNG. 53 

tliem by the observance of which any one, or any number 
of men can, by the mere force of their will, order a table 
to rise and remain suspended in the air, and it will obey 
them ? 

But, this is not alL Not only are tables moved, and 
other portions of matter lifted up, and moved about and 
are broken to pieces ; persons are lifted up without any 
visible agency, and are carried bodily from one room to 
another, and from place to place : persons unskilled in 
music, even little children, have played well and skillfully 
on instruments of music without having learned a note, 
and the instruments themselves have played while no hand 
touched them ; hands have appeared writing on walls ; 
they have been felt ; some of them apparently warm and 
others cold to the touch ; persons have been seized and 
shaken, and their garments torn ; they have been tossed 
about ; the form of bodies known to be long dead have 
been made to appear ; secrets have been revealed and facts 
have been made known, which were beyond the reach of 
man to find out : friends have been represented as coming 
back from the invisible world, and holding converse with 
the living, some times speaking words of comfort, and at 
others words of warning, in many eases words of truth, and 
in others words of falsehood. 

A friend of mine in whose eye-sight and statements I 
have every confidence, states the following facts among 
others. 

One day happening to pass by the door of a friend, he 
called him to him ; after the usual salutations of the day, 
the following conversation in substance passed between 
them — 

*^ Have you witnessed any of these table- tippings which 



54 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

are talked about so mucli ?" (they had just begun to be 
known in Philadelphia then.) 

^' We know but little about them," he replied. 

" We can turn the tables in our house — our little daugh- 
ter can do it easily ; but we can't do it without her : come 
in and see." 

They went in, and in due timo were seated in an upper 
room. The father, mother, and little daughter, some fourteen 
years of age, sat by the little table. Their hands were laid 
upon it. All looked on. After a few minutes, sure enough 
the table tipped up. The father then asked, how many 
persons are there in the room ; how many windows are 
there to the room : a coin was held out in the closed hand 
' — the kind and date were asked, also the several ages of the 
persons present ; to all these the answers were correct. It 
was then suggested, perhaps the little girl can write also. 
A pencil was placed in her hand, and soon it began to 
move. Several questions were asked her, and answers 
were given which seemed to gratify the father and interest 
him very much. Finally the question was put, "who 
moves her hand ?" Immediately, in large distinct letters, 
she wrote the word " S^I^-^*" When she lifted up her 
pencil and saw the word she had written, she dropped the 
pencil, and a shudder passed over her that shook her whole 
frame. She evidently felt afraid, and her parents were 
silent. They looked amazed. At length the father said, 
^^I guess we had better stop now." That ended the in- 
terview. But, the conclusion that our friend drew from 
what he saw was, that there must have been a mind dif- 
ferent from any one then present, controlling her hand, for 
no one had suggested that name, and surely the little girl 



A MANIFESTATION. 55 

herself had not intended to write the word. What led her 
to do it? That is the question. 

On another occasion, the same friend was walking down 
one of our streets, and seeing a small second hand book- 
store, he stepped in to look at the odd volumes that were 
there. He saw among them a work on Spiritualism, which 
led him to make a remark on the subject of the book. 
This led to a conversati'jn with the bookseller on the sub- 
ject. In the course of conversation, he said there was a 
lady then in his house, who did some strange things. He 
immediately left the store and called her. She came into 
the store and sat down on a chair near the counter. He 
gave her an alphabetical card. She laid it down before 
her, and placed her hands upon it. Her eyes soon closed. 
She then bandaged her eyes, and reversed the card. He 
asked her sundry questions. Her hand immediately was 
shaken violently, and she rapidly spelled out an answer 
to each question, by placing the fore finger upon each let- 
ter in regular order. After the experiments were over, 
the lady was asked what she thought about the whole 
matter. She replied, that she did not know what to think 
about it. The influence came upon her suddenly'-, about a 
year ago — her hand is moved against her will, and she 
has no knowledge of what she has spelled out, or the 
meaning of any thing done unless it be told her by those 
who may witness it. 

Our frTend was perfectly satisfied that the lady, (who is 
married and a mother), was honest in all that she said. 
She makes no gain by it. The whole thing is strange to 
her, she cannot account for it, and only when among her 
friends, does she now submit to have her hand moved for 
the gratification of othe' s. He is of the opinion that there 



56 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

is a mind different from hers, that controls her hand on 
these occasions. 

We would mention but one more case which our friend 
witnessed. It was this : In company with another friend, 
he went to see a person who it is said becomes entranced 
(we think that is the term used.) Having entered the 
house, they were conducted to an upper room where the 
lady and her mother were. A small table was brought out 
and placed in the middle of the room, and she and they sat 
near it. She laid her hands upon it, and then asked if 
there were any spirits present. The answer was. Yes. — ' 
Are they good ? Yes. To what sphere do you belong ? 
The sixth. Will you take possession of the medium ? Yes. 
How soon ? In three minutes. 

All now was quiet. In a minute's time her eyes closed , 
her arms began to twitch ; her whole body began to be 
agitated ; her face was contorted ; she moaned, and a pe- 
culiar sensation was produced about the neck and throat, 
as if swallowing something ; her hands became perfectly 
rio:id, and her arms were stretched out. In three minutes' 
time her muscles relaxed ; she was again calm and com- 
posed, and spake out, saying, ^' I am happy." It was 
asked, " Who are you ?" ^' I am Sarah J. I lived in 
Ohio, and died six years ago. I was a member of the 
church ; I lived a Christian life ; I am progressing rapid- 
ly." To various questions proposed to her, she said she 
believed in Jesus as she did while on earth, bu! in many 
things her views were changed. There was punishment 
there for the bad, but all might make an atonement for their 
sins by suffering ; and dl would finally enter higher and 
happier spheres. Some were a long time in getting out 
of the lower ones, which were places of torment. She said 



A POSSESSION. 57 

she saw the wicked a great way off ; they were quarreling 
with each other, and some evil one was taunting them. 
She felt happy in being able to come back and tell to others 
her joy and her peace. She had but a short time to stay ; she 
must go. A pause ensued, the twitching again returned, 
and a slight moan or two was heard, and she opened her eyes. 

On inquiring if she knew what she had been speaking 
about, she said. No ; she had no knowledge of it whatever. 
She felt no pain from the spasms or the proce^js of the pos- 
session. 

Shortly after the influence came upon her again, and she 
passed through a similar process. Finally, while sitting 
calmly with her hands on the table, she asked if there were 
any spirits present who would take possession of her. The 
table gave three violent raps. Her mother, who sat by, 
said, '' That's a bad spirit;" and seemed unwilling that 
her daughter should be made the subject of its control. — 
But she wished it. Immediately she was most violently 
shaken, and gave several deep groans, and her features 
were much contorted ; her whole countenance was changed. 
In a moment more she spoke out : '' Oh, cursed passion ! 
He provoked me to do it !'' " Who are you ?" ^' I am the 
murderer of Parkman. Oh, oh! I did it;" and she 
shuddered all over. " What did you do it for ?" '^ He kept 
asking me for the money." '^ Did you hate him ?" '' No; 
I had no intention of doing it until he came and asked me 
again for it. Oh, oh ! I killed him." ^' Where did you 
strike him ?" '^ Oh, here," laying her hand on the back 
part of her head. ^' Oh, oh !" and she gave a deep groan. 
" What did you do with him ?" ^' I dissected him— oh ! 
I did." '' Are you sorry for it now ?" ^' Oh, oh ! I can't 
repent — I can't." ''Is there then no hope for you ?" — 



58 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

'^ I have just heard that there is ; but the time is so far 
off before I shall begin to progress. Oh, I can't repent. — 
Oh, oh !" and then she became violent. She pounded the 
table with her fists and knuckles, so that, fearing she might 
break some of her bones, our friend interposed his arm, 
so that she might spend her strength on it. But that 
not being very pleasant, he drew his arm back, and pulled 
away the table from her. She rose and caught hold of it, 
pulling it back, and pounded it more fui'iously, and -^3 
rapidly as her hands could well move. All the time L r 
features were distorted, and the very picture of rage and 
despair. There seemed to be no stopping or calming her. 
All became somewhat alarmed. Her mother also seemed 
so. She arose and caught hold of her daughter, and spol--? 
out aloud — " In the name of the Lord, I beseech you to 
leave her 1" In a moment she sat down. She groaned 
once or twice, and then opened her eyes, and looked round 
and asked what was the matter. She seemed to be bewil- 
dered. When told what had happened, she said she thought 
that some bad spirit had had possession of her, but slie 
had no knowledge of what had transpired. '' But did yon 
not hurt your hands by pounding so hard ?'' ^^ No," slie 
replied. '' But did I not hurt you ?" '^ Yes, but not 
much. We wished," he said, ^' to save you from being 
injured." 

Having seen enough at that time, she was requested not 
to permit any more of the spirits to take possession of her 
ii she could prevent it. Astonished at what he saw, after 
a few minutes' conversation with the family he came awaj. 
He learned, however, from the young woman, that accoi.:.- 
ing to her accoiTr;t her father died many years ago, a wicked 
man; that aftt i some years in the invisible world, r." ;'. 



THE PHENOMENA AT DAVENPORt's. 59 

after suffering a great deal, he obtained permission (from 
whom she did not say) to come back to this world and 
naake a medium of his daughter. By doing so he had 
done a good act, and that helped him to make some pro- 
gress towards being better and happier. 

This is the account sh ' gave of the matter ; but she does 
not attempt to explain or account for the influence that 
came upon her some two years ago. She professes to feel 
as yet no injury from the agitations and shakings she has 
to pass through. When asked if she really thought that 
the spirits that took possession of her were what they pro- 
fessed to be — viz., the spirits of departed human beings, 
her father's spirit among them — she said she thought so, 
but was not certain ; still, that seemed to be her belief of 
the matter. 

' As to the above account, we can have no doubt of the 
reality of the events themselves, for our friend saw them, 
and could not be mistaken. Indeed, there are so many eye 
and ear witnesses to so many of these phenomena, that it is 
vain to deny the things +Iiemselves. 

But here is another iv. jount, and with this we shall con- 
clude this part of the subject. We cut it, a few weeks 
ago, out of one of the papers of the day. The statement 
is as follows : 

the phenomena at Davenport's. 

"We have on various occasions alluded to the mysterious 
and inexplicable manifestations at the above locality on 
Maine street, which are being daily and nightly developed, 
and of a character to startle the most intelligent minds in 
this or any other community. That these demonstrations 
partake of more than mere ':.uman agency, we are inclined 



I 



CO SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

to think any reasoning mind, after fairly looking into the 
matter, and bringing all ordinary and extraordinary talent 
to bear upon it, and failing to elucidate, will be obliged to 
acknowledge, we cannot for a moment doubt ; but of the 
character of the cause which doe& produce phenomena so pe- 
culiar, it is not our province to speculate upon. 

It would appear that mind, the concentrated mental 
force present at certain times, will either in the one case 
help to produce certain effects, or in other cases serve to 
destroy them. Also, that the atmosphere at times is favor- 
able or unfavorable, and other influences operating for or 
against the demonstration of a new and most mysterious 
principle, the germ of which is now beginning to manifest 
itself. Night after night, and daily, also, can be heard a 
voice, which speaks with, to say the least, human strength, 
and conveying ideas often of more than ordinary human 
sagacity. This intelligence can be communicated with when 
one is alone with the single medium, a boy of some twelve 
years old, whose hands are held, at which time the air is 
filled with noises, and sounds partaking of voices, whis- 
tlings, fingering of the strings of violins, guitars, &c. 

Last evening, with a number of respectable and perfect- 
ly sensible observers, we witnessed all of the above demon- 
strations, and a few more of even greater mystery. Lights 
of a character resembling shooting stars, or the rapid pas- 
sage of lightning, filled the room for several minutes. This 
phenomena is, we are told, often observed when human and 
atmospheric influence permit ; but a still more unaccount- 
able demonstration was given of this superhuman power. 
There were two mediums at the table, the eldest a lad of 
sixteen, we should judge. This boy was lifted, chair and 
all, to the ceiling, a distance of some twelve feet, at least, 



WONDERS AT BUFFALO. 61 

and struck heavily there, indenting the plastering, and 
marking the chair with the whitewash. A request was 
made to the invisible agent who controls and converses with 
them, to do it again, and permit the boy to mark the ceiling 
with red chalk. After the company satisfied themselves 
that, by placing a chair on the table, and standing up in it, 
the boy could not reach the ceiling within several feet, the 
lights are put out, and immediately a heavy body, like 
dropping a hundred weight upon the floor, was felt to have 
come down ; the light was produced, and a red chalk line 
on the ceiling showed where the boy had been. 

Perhaps some rational explanation can be given of hu- 
man agency in all this ; if so, we should like to get hold 
of it. We feel that ordinary principles known to man, 
will not admit of it ; but what is it ? There we will leave 
the subject." — Buffalo Republican, 

The question now arises, in view of all these and of 
other facts that might be stated, and which the reader may 
find in the published books of the spiritualists, and which 
receive their full approbation; what is the proper explana- 
tion of them ? Are they all mere tricks, or are they natu- 
ral phenomena, or are they supernatural ? And if so, 
what kind of agency produces them ? 



CHAPTER III. 

THE THEORIES. 

Admitting tlien all the facts that have hitherto been re- 
ported in connection with these various forms of spiritual 
manifestations, to be veritable facts, the question arises, 
how are they to be explained ? Every effect must have 
an adequate cause. This is common sense and sound phi- 
losophy. There is a cause for all these effects. What i? 
that cause ? 

TRICKERY. 

To this question it is answered by some, the whole thing 
is a trick; a mere matter of deception, and of lies on the 
part of those who are the actors, or mediums, in the case. 
It is a plan to gain money or notoriety. 

To such remarks, so unguarded, and so devoid of trut^i, 
we reply, those who make them know not what manner of 
spirit they are of: they know not what they say, nor 
whereof they affirm. In all probability they are made by 
those who have never carefully examined the subject, and 
who think the shortest way and the best to treat any and 
every delusion by which souls may be ruined, for time and 
for eternity, is by a sneer and by assumed contempt. Vv^c 
have heard such arguments from the pulpit, against spiri- 
tualism, and can only say, that, if w<? had the least beariug 
toward the delusion, or had doubts as to its true character 



THE TIIEORTES VENTRILOQUISM. 63 

such preaching would rather make a convert of us to it, 
than give us a more perfect abhorrence of it than we have. 
It is an utter impossibility that the multitudes of men, 
women, and little children, who are now the subjects of 
these manifestations, and many of them without any wish 
or will on their part, can be practicing trickery and false- 
hood. That some few may do so can easily be supposed. 
That this is the case with any great number cannot be ; 
and any one, who is acquainted with the facts in the case, 
and the persons who are engaged in it, must know that it 
cannot be that they are deliberately trying to deceive the 
people. We give them full credit for honesty at least. 

It has been said, that all the noises and rappings that 
have been heard, could be produced by a person, whose 
knee-joints could, at will, be made to crack!! Others 
have thought that wires or springs, or something of the 
kind, had been previously arranged by the operators, and 
that the noises were produced in that way. These were 
among some of the first guesses at explanation ; but no 
one now, we believe, thinks that tLese come any way near to 
the truth. These explanations are wholly discarded. 

VENTRILOQUISM 

WaF next supposed to be the true explanation of the sounds 
and noises. From what we heard about the matter, at 
first, we supposed that it might be so : for these abdomi- 
nal talkers can do many very strange things, and all too, 
they tell us, quite scientifically. But this will not account for 
the noises heard, when tbere is no one within speaking dis- 
tance to produce them. They have been heard at such 
times, and places, and under such circumstances as wholly 



64 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

to forbid the idea of their proceeding from any ventrilo- 
quist, however great his power may be. 

We have witnessed the jugglers in India perform some 
astonishing things, and have heard of others still more un- 
accountable having been performed by them, and which 
they said were all a mere series of tricks, and could be done 
. by any one else, if they had the tact and the knowledge. 
"We doubt it. We are by no means certain that there is 
not assistance lent these persons by a power outside of 
themselves. They may think it is all from themselves ; 
but we believe they are mistaken. 

But, from the curious tricks that some may perform in 
the presence of others, and the mode of doing these things 
at the time, so that they cannot possibly be detected, the 
conclusion is drawn, that all these rappings, voices, noises, 
music, &c., are of a like character. The whole is scientifi- 
cally done, and there is really nothing wrong, but only 
amusement in the whole matter ! Ventriloquism cannot 
possibly explain the phenomena. 

ELECTRICITY, 

Galvanism, odic-force, and the power of the human will, 
have all been brought forward to account for the wonders 
of spiritualism. The French philosophers, who, of course, 
are presumed to know everything that appertains to the 
mysterious, have written learnedly upon the subject. So 
have learned and scientific men in this country done the 
same thing. They had it all right. Yes, they know all about 
it. But soon some new manifestation was made, and then 
the books which they had written on the subject, and their 
finely argued- out theories too were all cast overboard into 



THE THEORIES — ELECTRICITY GALVANISM. 65 

the wide sea of uncertainty, where many a favorite theory 
on many a subject lies quietly asleep. 

Electricity and galvanism could do, as agencies, when 
directed by some mind, many wonderful things. But these 
wise men soon found that electricity would not cause a 
lamp to be lifted up off the mantle, and be dashed into a 
looking-glass worth some $50 or more; or the door of a • 
room to be locked on the inside, while no one was in the 
room ; or garments to be torn off persons while they have 
been quietly sitting in their room ; or when persons had 
knelt down to pray, to pull them off their knees ; or when 
papers were placed in private drawers in writing desks, 
and locked up, that they should be torn to pieces, or fire 
be kindled in them, so that they were actually burnt up, 
and the wood of the desk charred ; or that persons should 
be pushed about and injured, and when no body was in or 
near the house, that the doors should still remain locked, 
and the drawers too, and yet all the clothes be taken from 
the drawers, and strewed about over the floor, or dressed 
up in all kinds of fantastic shapes ; or that persons should 
be lifted up, and carried forward for squares without their 
feet touching the ground ; or that the persons could rise 
up in public assemblies, and speak intelligibly, and scien- 
tifically, and philosophically, for an hour at a time on sub- 
jects they knew but little of, and when the discourse was 
over did not know what had been said, and could by no 
means use language so fine, so chaste, and so appropriate ; 
or could dictate and write letters, and drop them down in 
a room as if they had fallen from the ceiling, while the ink 
was still wet on the paper ; and all these things and thou- 
sands of others that have been done, they found were ac- 
tually done, and that their electricity, though it could ri^e 



6G SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

the oak and plough the earth in deep furrows, and fire the 
ship on the sea, or the house on the land, when permitted 
by God to do its work, yet it could not do, by man's con- 
trol, these small things. Electricity now has got permis- 
sion to retire from the field of spiritualistic wonders. The 
leave of absence, we think, is just, and demanded by the 
nature of the case. 

THE HUMAN ^VILL. 

This has been brought, in the next place, to bear upon 
the subject, and to explain it. Much has been said about 
the voluntary and involuntary powers and instincts of the 
human mind. But, in all our life, we have never yet 
read, or heard of a case where a man, by taking thought, 
by his intense anxiety of mind, or fixedness of thought, or 
purpose of will could, or ever did add one cubit to his 
stature, or prolong his life an hour ; or even change the 
color of a hair, making it either white or black. (Mat. 
v: 36; vi: 27.) If so small a thing as that cannot be 
done by the force of the human will ; on what ground can 
we expect that these greater things can be done ? We 
know that the will of some men may be called an iron will, 
and may, by its firmness, produce many mighty effects, by 
swaying the minds of others ; but, all the force of all the 
minds of men from Adam down to the present time, if they 
could be brought to bear unitedly upon any piece of dead 
matter, could never move it an inch, much less lift up 
heavy masses of matter, and hurl them about as chaff be- 
fore the wind. It is not the province of the hman unnd 
to do such thing3. Its field of operation, and its work is 
diiierent. It also has a free permit to withdraw from this 
spirit work, and work when and where the Lord appoints. 



THE THEORIES — THE DEPARTED SPIRITS. 67 

By universal consent, all who are known as Spiritualists 
have given up the idea that these phenomena are produced 
by any thing else than by 

THE SPIRITS OF DEPARTED HUMAN 
BEINQS. 

They may not have always thought so. But, it is evident, 
that this is now the theory. They profess to believe that 
the spirits of all persons, immediately after death, enter 
into the invisible world, (which is all around us,) with the 
same moral character which they had while in the body. 
If they are wicked, they enter the second sphere, the space 
whi .h is immediately around the earth. Here are none 
but what are called undeveloped spirits. They retain all 
their ignorance, and rudeness, and all their characteristic 
traits of character while on the earth and dwelling among 
the living in the flesh. In this, and in all the spheres, there 
are many circles, probably seven. So that a spirit that is 
bad must enter one of these seven circles of this second 
sphere. Development and progression are the established 
order of the invisible world. Many of the spirits are so 
bad that it is a long time before they begin their progres- 
sive course upwards. But sooner or later this is the case. 
In this place they make an atonement for the sins they 
had committed in life, and of which they had not repented. 
When they once begin to rise, their progress may be very 
rapid. And, as they will henceforward continue to make 
progress, they will all ultimately be perfectly and eternally 
holy and happy. 

Those who are good persons on earth will, at their death, 
enter into a bigher sphere. Here they enjoy the society 



68 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

of the good. The spirits in the higher spheres can hold 
intercourse with the good even in the spheres above them. 
All of these spirits, both the good and the bad, are anx- 
ious to re-enter the bodies of persons still in the flesh. 
The good spirits aim to do good, and their desire is to in- 
struct mortals in the right way, and to correct the many 
erroneous views which persons, in the flesh, fall into by 
their implicit belief in the statements of the Bible. The 
Bible, these spirits say, is wrong in many of its statements. 
It is their object to correct these errors, if possible. Hence 
their great desire to enter the bodies of living human be- 
ings, so as to communicate these things to the world. It 
is not every one that they can control, or fit for their ser- 
vice, so as to communicate by them. But, they can pre- 
pare them for these communications by a process of train- 
ing, that may continue for a longer or shorter period of 
time. These persons are called 

MEDIUMS. 

There is a great variety of mediums. Some are called 
writing mediums : others are speaking, or seeing, or healing 
mediums. The modes of communication with mortals in 
the flesh, through these difi'erent mediums, by the spirits 
of the departed are various, but the agents are the same-— 
they are always the spirits of the departed. 

The bad spirits are equally desirous to communicate 
vrith men in the flesh, or rather to enter into the body of 
some one living, so as to get some respite from their suf- 
fering in the lower spheres. They also retain the same 
tempers in the spirit world that they had while here. As 
they were fond of quarreling and strife while here, so the 
desire to get where they can indulge again their old 



SPIRITS THEIR TEACHINGS. 69 

practice of disputatioD, and -wrangling, urges them to take 
possession of any body that they can possibly enter. They 
are not choice of the persons they may enter, nor are they 
in any way particular as to the propriety of their conduct 
while they have possession of the body. They often make 
the person possessed by them, use filthy language and ges- 
tures to correspond to their words. — These are what may 
be called unclean spirits — or dirty spirits. Truth is, by 
no means, sacred with them. They will utter falsehoods, 
and tell you to your face that it is their business to lie — 
these are lying spirits. All of these spirits, both the good 
and the bad, are, according to Spiritualism, the souls of 
departed human beings ; for they maintain that there is no 
devil, and of course there are no evil angels, as Christians 
generally believe. 

TEACHINGS OF THE SPIRITS. 

There is an old proverb that says, ^' As he (man) think- 
eth in his heart so is he," Prov. xxiii : 7. This statement 
is founded in truth ; for a man's thoughts are a good index 
to the state of his heart. There is another statement equal- 
ly true, of this nature : ^' Out of the abundance of the heart 
the mouth speaketh," Matt, xii : 34 : and yet another which 
says, " Ye shall know them by their fruits," Matt, vii: 16. 
As all these statements are admitted truths, it seems to be 
perfectly right to test the character of these teachers by 
the doctrines they may teach. And especially so, since we 
are earnestly exhorted by one of beloved memory to do so, 
and who, in the affection of his heart, says, '' Beloved, be- 
lieve not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are 
of Grod," 1 John iv : 1. An ancient writer says, ^' To the 
law and the testimony ; if they speak not according to this 



70 SPIRITUALITY, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

word, it is because there is no liglit in tlicm." Is. vii^ : 20. 
Taking, then, these principles for our guide, let us incjuire 
what are the teachings of these spirits, who come commis- 
sioned from seme quarter, to add, during the continuance 
of this dispensation, to the things which God hath author- 
ized His servants to write in the book of His truth reveal- 
ed to man. Rev. xxii : 18. 

1. IN REFEPcENCE TO GOD. 

Spiritualism teaches that there is a God who is Supreme 
and over all. Some individuals among them say, " There 
is no Supreme Spirit — each spirit is a God." '' Thou be- 
lievest that there is one God. Thou doest well : the de- 
mons also {ta daimonia) believe and tremble. But wilt 
thou know, vain man, that faith without works is dead ?" 

The mere belief in the existence of a God is no proof of 
the goodness of the believer. All nations believe in some 
one Supreme Being, except the Parsees, the ancient Zoro- 
asterites, who held to two first principles, one good, the 
other bad, which they look upon as two gods of equal 
power and from whom all things have sprung. The myth- 
ological system of India teaches that there is but one 
Being, from whom all the gods, and all things have spuing. 
In the worship of the many gods, they entirely ovc look 
the worship of the One. Polytheism and Pantheism can 
be taught and believed, only where the light of Divine 
revelation does not shine. 

But a question arises here — '' What is God ? accord- 
ing to spirit teaching." Let them answer the question. 

" You have said that the sun was pure fire, what dp you 
think of it now ?" was the question which was proJ)osed 
by one to the spirit that purported to be the soul of one 



SPIRIT-THEOLOGY. 71 

who had left the body, and had gone into the spirit-world, 
and :ras then speaking through the lips of a medium, a 
ladj, the answer is-— 

"The sun which you behold is the God of heaven and earth." 

" V7hat do you mean by that ?" 

"Spirits know no other; and God has never been seen 
in any other form. '^ . 

Some teach that " God is a spirit, and that the world is 
his body." 

All this is, of course, blank, bald atheism. 

What the particular views of God may be, which others 
of these spirits hold, or which spiritualists hold, we know 
not ; but we have never yet read of one of these spirits 
teaching the Bible view of the character of God, nor do we 
know of a spiritualist that holds it. There is a uniform, 
invariable denial of the Scriptural representation of the 
Divine Being. The god they believe in is not the God 
that is revealed in the Bible. 

2. WHAT THEY TEACH CONCERNING CHRIST. 

The uniform teaching of all the spirits is, that Jesus is 
not Divine. Some call him the Son of God ; but by that 
term they do not mean to express the idea of equality with 
the Father. He is the highest and the most exalted of 
creatures — he himself being a mere creature. According 
to the spirits, He did not die for the salvation of sinners ; 
He did not make an atonement for sin ; He did not come 
to destroy the works of the Devil ; for they a^rm there is 
no personal Devil. But as if to make certainty more sure, 
we have a published account of the conception, birth, and 
life of Jesus, which professes to be from Himself, and com- 
municated through a medium a short time ago, in which 



72 sriraxuALiSM, a satanic delusion. 

He flatly denies tlie account given of Him by the Evangel- 
ist Luke ; He states lie is nothing but a man, and never 
was anything more. 

According to all this, the whole plan of salvation is a 
solemn farce. The preaching of faith and repentance, and 
the necessity of regeneration by the power of the Holy 
Spirit, (whose personal existence they deny,) and the sanc- 
tification of the soul as a prerequisite for the kingdom of 
God, are but a gilded lie. The wicked here of all grades, 
and those guilty of the basest of crimes, are not condemned, 
and never will be ; but they pass immediately into a state 
of comparative happiness, where, by suffering, they make 
an atonement for their sins, and then begin to make pro- 
gress in happiness and peace, and continue to increase in 
blessedness, and joy, and knowledge until they have at- 
tained the highest degree of glory, (in the ninth sphere ac- 
cording to some,) where they will forever be. 

Expressions like the following, which purport to be com- 
munications from the spirits to their dearly beloved friends 
and former acquaintances in this city, are scattered in pro- 
fuse abundance throughout the works that are published 
by Spiritualists : 

^' All are much happier in the spirit- world than they 
were on earth." '' All are in a state of progression in the 
spirit-world ; none remain where they enter ; all will pro- 
gress and enjoy as much happiness constantly as they are 
capable of receiving." ^' When the people begin to believe 
this great truth^ the errors of the popular religion will 
then be abandoned." " Man can never be thoroughly re- 
formed till God is divested of his artificial attributes. ".^XS' 
" So long as He is held up to man clothed in these false 
characters, man can never see Him in his true light ; con- 



SPIRTT-THEOLOGY. 73 

gequently, cannot appreciate Him in scarcely the smallest 
degree." The attribute of justice is particularly referred 
to here. '' It [spiritualism] will bring about more good to 
mankind than any sectarian religion can possibly do." — 
*'If you want to progress, you must let your mind dwell 
upon the beauties of nature and of the spirit home." (Not 
Christ and his salvation.) ^' This glorious destiny (future 
happiness) is prepared for all men without exception — none 
are to be excluded ; all shall be happy." " None of the 
race of mankind is destined to be miserable. Unbounded 
happiness is prepared for all." 

To a Baptist preacher from his sister in the spirit- 
world : '' My Dear BpvOther : — You have been a believer in 
a dark and gloomy creed. There is no misery in any de- 
partment of the spirit home, but progression is onward and 
upward ! Our joy is unutterable. Man alone possesses 
the power of progression. He has progressed from the 
creation of the world, and is now much above his original 
condition on the earth. Now think of what we have said. 
We do not want you to harmonize it with the dark and 
gloomy popular religion. This cannot he done. Commu- 
nications from us can never agree with their principal teach- 
ings. [True.] We believe in no Grod of anger and wrath. 
There is no such being. All is guided by infinite wisdom, 
love, and goodness." 

These extracts give the spirit and marrow of this com- 
munication. 

A,,son purports to write to his mother, and says : '^ My 
dear mother : — Pin not your faith on creeds and doctrines 
of faith. Grod is love. He loves all his intelligrent creation, 
and this is sufficient to lead all who yield to its holy influ- 
ence into the presence of the Great Creator." 

4 



74 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

Another : '^ My Dear Gtrandciiild : — The more we are 
talked to the bettor we can respond. It gives us more 
power to have you familiar with us." [No doubt it does.] 

Frojn a Son to Ids Mother, '' My Dear Mother, : — 
You have mourned for me ; do so no more. Your loss has 
been my great gain. My happiness is much greater than 
you can conceive of. Spirits are all happy, and when you 
believe in spiritual manifestations, you will feel far hap- 
pier than you now do. Then you will not fear the threats 
of hell and damnation that are preached to you. Such 
doctrine is wrong, and bad in its tendencies on the human 
mind, and has been the cause of much unbelief in the im- 
mortality of the soul, and infidelity to truth and right- 
eousness." 

From a Father to his Son. " My Dear Son : — You have 
much to learn. Your nature is progressive. We come to 
teach you this, and to aid you to develop your spiritual 
powers. We come to teach you that God is love ; that the 
spirit of man is an emanation from Him, (Hindooism) and 
that man is a ii7tit I that his present social arrangements 
are ivrohg^ and opposed to his best interests in life, and in 
the one to come." (Would Socialism and Free-Ioveism be 
better ?) 

In a colloquy held with the spirits, the following ques- 
tions were asked, to which the appended answers were given : 

"Is the physical condition of man inferior to what it 
was formerly ? 

" No ; it is more perfected. 

" Does physical suffering retard spiritual development? 

"No. 



SPIRIT THEOLOGY. 75 

<' Then man was not made originally as perfect, physically 
and spiritually, as he is now ? 

^^ No ; many changes have taken place. He has progress- 
ed in his physical being with his spiritual development." 

(See Spiritual manifestations in the city of Philadel- 
phia, by a member of the First Circle. Pages 62-90. 
1851.) 

Thus the fall of man, his original righteousness and sub- 
sequent sinning, and all God's plans and purposes to re- 
deem a fallen race, and save them through Jesus Christ, 
the only Eedeemer, are perfectly ignored and set aside by 
these demoniacal revelations. True it is that their teach- 
ings can never harmonize with the Word of God, as re- 
vealed to us in the Bible. 

3. THE te;achings of spirits as to the bible. 

On this subject there is a slight discrepancy among 
them, but the general idea is about the same. The extracts 
given already concerning the teachings of the spirits, show 
what are their general views as to the value of the Bible. 
But one of these spirits, professing to be the Apostle Paul, 
gives us his connected views on the whole Bible, which 
show certainly great progress in some direction. The spirit 
that took possession of the medium declared himself to be 
the Apostle. The question was asked this spirit, 

"What think you of the Bible now, since your entrance 
into the spirit world ?" 

The answer was given in the following language : 

Genesis — " About as true as any fictitious work now in 
print," p. 10. 

Exodus — " As good a book as oould have been expected 
at that day," p. 10. 



76 SPIRITUALISM, .k SATANIC DELUSION. 

JLeviiicus — '' Not directly from God, as man supposes," 
p. 12. 

Numbers — ^'Such an absurdity as that, [the facts stated 
in chap. 1st] ought to be cast into the lowest depth of the 
infernal regions," p. 13. 

Joshua — " Almost the whole book is false," lb. 

Judges — ^^ About the same as the others; and it needs 
no argument to show that it is void of inspiration," p. 14. 

Kutli — " Without inspiration, the same as the others," 
p. 15. 

Samuel — ^* A part of it is correct," p. 15. 

Kings — ^'Multitudes of mistakes — not correct — no in- 
spiration," pp. 16, 17. 

Ezra — " By a person bearing its name, without inspi- 
ration," p. 17. 

Job — " Written through mediums — would have been 
correct, had it not been that men destroyed its purity," 
pp. 18, 19. 

Psalms — " Written in the same way and some of them 
correct," p. 19. 

The rest of the books of the Old Testament are said to 
be " somewhat correct in the main," p. 20. 

*^ Let me say unto you, man ! at this day, in regard 
to the Old Testament, ^Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin,'" 
p. 21. 

In passing through the Gospels, Epistles, and the Apo- 
ealipse, this vile spirit exclaims, '' Not correct," '^ mistake," 
"fictitious," "contrary to the will of God." And to cap 
the whole, " Such, man, are the principles the. books you 
call the Bible, are conveying to the inhabitants of the earth. 
horrible ! " p. 92. 



THE SPIRITS WHO ARE THEY? 77 

" The Old Testament, which Christ declared wrono" and 
wicked, you are still calling the Word of God. . . . Al- 
though your angelic fathers, by the wisdom of God, are 
allowed to come unto you, and do away with the wicked 
precepts of your Bible," pp. 93, 94. 

Thus we have spirit testimony as to the value of the 
Sacred Scriptures. They make a clean sweep of it all. — 
And why should they not ; for certainly the Scriptures 
condemn them most clearly. And with this rejection' of the 
Bible, they reject also, all the doctrines which are the pe- 
culiarity and the glory of Christianity. ^' It is readily 
granted," says Mr, Brittan, ^' that spiritualism rejects the 
common notions respecting the fall of angels, total depra- 
vity, and the atonement." ^^ We do also reject the resur- 
rection as taught by accredited authorities in Mythologi- 
cal theology," and by this he means Christianity. 

A mere glance at a few numbers of the " Spiritual Tele- 
graph," or at any of the accredited works on spiritualism, 
is sufficient to convince any one that the teachings of spir- 
itualism are the " teachings of Demons," or in our render- 
ing of the passage, '^ doctrines of Devils," 1 Tim. iv : 1, 
and opposed to Christ and his salvation. 

THE SPIRITS -WHO ARE THEY? 

We have admitted the facts in the case, viz : that com- 
munications are really made by invisible, and by intelli- 
gent agents to the living at the present time. Who are 
they ? Spiritualists, with one voice, say they are the spirits 
of good or bad men, who formerly lived on earth. They 
deny that there are any intelligent beings in the invisible 
world called angels,' who are a listinct class from the 



78 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

spirits of men. Is tliis so ? We readily grant that 
we have no light on this subject except what we derive di- 
rectly from the Bible. Does, then, the Bible teach that 
there is a distinct class of beings from the souls of men ? 
If there be not, then the faith of the people of God, from 
the days of Adam down to the present time, has been mis- 
placed, yea, more, all the world of men have been believing 
a falsity. That there are 

ANGELS, 

who are a distinct class of intelligent beings from men 
whether in the body or out of it, is to our minds, most 
evident from the Scriptures. The word Angellos is Grreek, 
and the word Malak is Hebrew, and both signify a mes- 
senger^ an angel. These words are used both in the Old, 
and in the New Testament to mean (a) human messengers, 
or agents for others ; 2 Sam. ii : 5. Mark i : 2. Jas. ii : 
25; (b) officers of the churches. Hag. i; 13. Eev. i: 20; 
(c) Jesus Christ, Mai. iii : 1.; (d) created intelligences, 
both good and bad; Heb. i: 14. Jude 6. Now, because the 
word angel does, sometimes, mean a mere human being, it 
certainly is not good reasoning to say it can mean nothing 
else. The passage in Jude most clearly proves that there 
is a class of intelligent beings different from man. The 
apostle speaks of '' the angels who kept not their first 
estate^^^ (ten archen^ their principality, as the marginal 
reading is.) This, most evidently conveys the idea that 
some of them did keep their first estate. Only those who 
kept not their first estate, but left their oivn habitation 
hath God reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, 
unto the judgment of the great day. 



ANGELS — NOT MEN. 79 

It is evident, then, from this passage that there must be 
a distinct class of beings, called angels, for these two ob- 
vious reasons, viz. : 

(1.) All men have sinned, and have come short of the 
glory of G-od. Rom. iii : 23. There is no exception : they 
have all lost their first estate. Hence, men are a difi'erent 
class from those beings, only some of whom have lost their 
first estate, while others have kept theirs. 

(2.) These angels are said to have left their own habita- 
tion. God cast those of them that sinned down to hell 
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved 
unto judgment. 2 Pet. ii : 4. They were cast down, and 
cast out of the place they formerly occupied. But, man 
was made on this earth. This earth was given to him at 
first — and although he has sinned, still he is here, and 
dwells upon it. He has not been cast out of it. This 
proves clearly that men and angels are different, and be- 
long each to an order of beings peculiar to itself. 

The Greek word tartarosas in 2 Pet. ii : 4, and rendered 
by "cast down to hell," or to cast into Tartarus, needs a word 
of explanation. The word Tartarus means, according to 
Greek writers, ''in a physical sense, the bounds, or verge 
of this material system." So that God cast the rebel an- 
gels out of his presence, into that blackness of darkness 
where they will be forever deprived of the light of His 
countenance, and that place is, probably, at present, within 
the atmosphere of ( ur earth. For we read that Satan is 
the Prince of the power of the air, as well as the Prince 
of this world. 

In the book of Job, (chap, xxxviii : 4-7,) we read that 
when God laid the foundations of the earth, and the corner 
stone thereof, then the morning stars [cocabai hoker) sang 



80 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

together : and all the sons of God (Benai Elohim) shouted 
for joy. By these terms intelligent beings most certainly 
are meant, and as they sang together, when the foundations 
of the earth were first laid, and as man was not made till 
the sixth day of the work of creation, after the world had 
been formed, it is manifest that there must be an order of 
beings, wholly distinct from Adam and Eve, for they were 
in existence, and sang this song of praise before our first 
parents were created. 

There is but one more passage that we would adduce 
to prove that there are angels, a class of beings distinct 
from man, and that is in Heb. xii : 22-23. The apostle 
says, " Ye are come to Mount Zion, and unto the city of 
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an mnu- 
onerahle company of angels^ to the general assembly and 
church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and 
to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men 
made perfect, and to Jesus Ihe Mediator of the new coven- 
ant." Here we see that the apostle makes a distinction 
between angels^ and the spirits of just men. He certainly 
does not consider them to be one and the same order of 
beings. If he did, why use such language ? 

Not to occupy more time on this part of the subject, 
it is evident that there is an order of beings wholly dis- 
tinct from man, who are intelligent, and who have the 
power to communicate with each other and with other in- 
telligent beings like man, if they are permitted to do so. 

Taking this, then, as a fixed fact, we learn from the 
Bible that there are both good and bad angels ; that they 
are numerous ; that they are intelligent ; that they are 
strong ; and as wickedness does not, necessarily, diminish 
the strength of men or angels, wicked angels may have as 



ANGELIC POWER. 81 

much physical strength, after their fall, as they had before 
it. If good angels can communicate with men, and if 
they can move heavy stones (Matt, xxviii : 2,) and open 
prison doors, locking them up again (Acts xii : 7-19,) may 
not evil angels do the same things ? We see no reason 
why they may not. We believe they do. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE TRUTH. 



Having, in all candor and truthfulness, so far as we 
know the truth in the case, given.the view which the spirit- 
ualists hold on the subject of these manifestations, we now 
proceed to show that the whole thing, in its incipiency, 
progress, and aim, is the work of Satan. 

If we can demonstrate the fact that these thino;s cannot 
proceed from mere disease ; nor from good angels ; nor 
from the spirits of good or had men^ in or out of the body ; 
then the conclusion is irresistible that the whole work is 
of the Devil and his angels. And this, by God's help, 
we will do. 

These manifestations are not diseases^ nor the mere ef- 
fect of a peculiar state of body or mind. 

The demoniacs, in the days of our Lord, were, in many 
cases, diseased ; but these diseases were the effect of some 
derangement in the body, produced by some evil spirits, 
who attached themselves to them, or in some way unknown 
to us, dwelt in them. Our Lord spoke to the demon in 
the possessed, and not to the disease. The demon answer- 
ed Him, and asked if He had come to torment him before 
the time. He asked permission, if cast out of the man, to 
go into the swine that "were a good way off feeding." 
The demon was cast out, and did go into the swine. This 
could not be a disease that could leave a man and seize 



WHAT ARE THE SPIRITS ? 83 

upon swine a good way off. Nor was it the man himself 
who ran off and scared the swine ; for, when the people 
came they saw the man sitting quietly and clad in proper 
garments, and in his right mind. To say that this was a 
mere disease, is absurdity itself run mad. And equally 
absurd is it to say that the manifestations now are mere 
diseases. The mediums of our day may be diseased ; but 
their disease is the effect of spirit-power. We need not 
dwell on this point. See the history as recorded by Matt. 
viii : 28-34, and Mark' v : 1-19. See also '^ Twells on 
Demoniacs." 

THEY ARE NOT THE ^VORK OF OOOD 

ANGELS. 

So far as we have any knowledge about the ministry of 
angels, we learn that they are all sent forth to minister for 
those or on account of those, who shall be {tous mellontas^ 
about to become) the heirs of salvation. Heb. 1 : 14. 
If this be the work of all of them, then it is evident that 
these spirits, which possess our modern demoniacs, or in- 
fluence the mediums, are not good angels, for all of these 
angels are engaged in the good and blessed work of aiding 
and encouraging, and strengthening, and defending those 
who are, or are about to become the heirs of salvation ; 
whereas these spirits, in our day, are engaged in a very 
different kind of work. They are engaged in afflicting 
God's people; in turning away the people from hearing 
the truth ; in leading them to deny the Bible, and all the 
great doctrines which flow out from that grand central 
truth, God manifest in the flesh. Good angels cannot en- 
gage in a bad work. It is evident from this single view 



84 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

of the subject that these varied manifestations cannot pro* 
oeed from good angels. 

There are now left us but two sources, for which these 
manifestations can possibly come, viz., either from the 
spirits of departed human beings, or from Satan and his 
hosts of evil spirits. The first of these is the one held by 
spiritualists to be the true one. 

THEY ARE NOT SPIRITS OF THE DEAD. 

Are these spirit manifestations produced by the spirits 
of departed human beings ; and do the communications 
which are made, come from human beings in the invisible 
world, as they purport to be ? 

This is what spiritualists affirm, and in this faith we 
doubt not, many, probably nearly all, fully confide. Some 
there are, who say they know not what to think of them. 
We do not call in question the sincerity of any one of the 
multitudes who really think that they do at times converse 
with their departed friends. There is something very 
comforting to the sorrowing heart to be assured that the 
departed one is happy. We wish all our departed friends 
to be so. We hope they are ; but to know that fact, if it 
could be known, would relieve the mourning friends 
of half their grief, wipe away their tears, and turn their 
mourning into gladness. This, spiritualism professes to 
do. And it is this, which renders the deception so fasci- 
nating, and so comforting too, in this aspect of the subject, 
that it is difficult, and in many cases will be impossible to 
break the enchantment. God alone can do that. 

We might demand of the spiritualists the proof that the 
spirit of some departed one does come and communicate 
with them through the medium. Why cannot these de- 



WHAT ARE THE SPIRITS? 85 

parted ones communicate with their former friends in the 
flesh directly, without the intervention of a table or a third 
person ? There is some difficulty in the case ; and it is 
answered, the conditions are not favorable ; but, hereafter, 
when the world of human beings, in the flesh, shall have 
developed their moral and physical nature, under the teach- 
ings of spirits, then the intercourse between the visible and 
the invisible worlds will again be renewed and established 
on a firm and unchanging basis forever. This will be the 
millennial age of the world. But such positive proof, con- 
vincing and assuring they cannot give, that can satisfy the 
enquiring soul. Even on their own minds there is a doubt 
left — for granting, as they do, that there are evil spirits, 
and lying spirits, they may be deceived by them, and they 
cannot be certain that they are not. We apprehend that 
none of the firmest believers in these spiritual communi- 
cations would be willing to surrender up their personal 
property to some of their neighbors, who could bring for- 
ward no better, no stronger proof that the property in 
question belonged to them, than these spiritualists do that 
these communications are veritable communications from 
their departed friends. "Why then should they trust their 
salvation on so slight a foundation ? 

But while we migLt demand the proof that these spirits 
are the spirits of the departed from earth, we affirm that 
they cannot be such. 

For (1) if the spirits of the good are in heaven with 
God and Christ, then certainly they are not roaming all 
over the earth, disquieted by every Witch of Endor, and 
forced to appear at the summons of any spiritualist who 
may attempt to evoke them from their rest. 

But (2) if the dead are in an intermediate place of par- 



86 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

tial blessedness or misery, then certainly they cannot be 
traversing this earth and communicating with mankind. — 
Neither the rich man nor Lazarus could communicate with 
surviving friends. 

Or (3) if, as some teach, the dead are in a state of pro- 
found slumber till the resurrection, then their intercourse 
with mankind is a manifest impossibility. 

Without stopping to discuss these respective theories, 
we simply remark that upon either of them the theory of 
spiritual manifestations is untrue. 

That a few of the saints have appeared on earth after 
their departure from it, is what the Scriptures teach. — 
Elijah was taken up to heaven, b. c. 896. Moses died 
B. c. 1451 — that is, some 555 years before the translation 
of Elijah. Both of these persons appeared on the mount 
I of transfiguration with our Lord. — Matt, xvii : 1-4. Some 
suppose that this was a mere vision (Matt, xvi : 9) of the 
bodies of Moses and Elijah, and that they were not in re- 
ality present. But we think, with Calvin and others, that 
they were really present. 

Quite a number of the bodies of the saints which slept 
came out of their graves, after the resurrection of our 
Lord, and went into the Holy City, and appeared unto 
I many. — Matt, xxvii : 52, 53. We have no account of any- 
thing that they did beyond their mere appearance ; and 
we have no authority to say that they did do or say any- 
thing to any of the living. 

In Rev. xxii : 9. — The angel {angeloSj messenger) who 

had been sent to John to communicate to him the book of 

Revelation, states distinctly that he was his ^' fellow ser- 

/ vant, and of his brethren, the prophets, and of those who 

keep the sayings of this Book." He forbade John to pay 



OPINIONS OF THE HEATHEN. 87 

him religious reverence, but bade him worship God. In 
this case there was no possession ; the messenger appeared 
in his own person. And so it was with all the others of 
whom we read in the Scriptures. None of them ever ap- 
peared except in his own person and in his own body. 

But since the day that revelation was closed for this 
dispensation^ we have no account of any of the saints of the 
Lord that have ever returned to earth. Nor does Grod de- 
sign that they should. Eevelation is filled up until the 
Lord shall come again. Under that new state of the church 
and of the world, there will be, doubtless, new communi- 
cations of God's will to man adapted to that peculiar state. 
But at present the Gentile church has, in the New Testa- 
ment, all the knowledge that God means to impart to her. 
Communications from any one from the spirit-world in- 
forming us of our duty, would be, in fact, to set aside the 
teachings of the Bible which God has already given us. — 
If men will not hear Moses and the prophets, and also the 
words of Christ and of his apostles, neither would they 
hear, though one could come from the dead. The time is 
coming, however, and it may be very nigh at hand, when 
the prediction of our Lord in John 1 : 51 — ^^ Hereafter 
ye shall see the angels of God ascending and descending to 
[epi^ Matt, xxiv : 16) the Son of man" — shall be literally 
fulfilled. And then will be fulfilled that part of the 72d 
Psalm, which is so often sung in our churches and so little 
believed, 

*' Angels descend with songs again, 
And Earth repeat the loved Amen." 

OPINIONS OF THE HEATHEN. 

It is doubtless true that some of the ancient Greek and 
Roman philosophers and wise men of antiquity did hold 



88 SPmiTUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

that the demons were the souls of departed human beings, 
and that they did really take at times possession of the 
bodies of the living, and were the guardians of the people. 
Some of them were good, and some became bad. 

Hesiod, the celebrated Greek poet who lived b. c. 900, 
tells us, in his '^ Works and Days," that " In the golden- 
age, when Saturn reigned in heaven, men lived like gods, 
free from evils, and died just as if they had fallen asleep ; 
they became demons by the will of Jupiter, the great, 
powerful, dwelling upon the earth — guards of mortal men. 
They observe the good and evil done here; they are 
clothed with air, (invisible,) and roam over the earth 
everywhere ; they are innumerable, the immortal guards 
of mortal men." — Op, Hesiod^ Lib. 1. 

According to this idea, the souls of men, after their de- 
parture from this world, become the inspectors of human 
affairs, and as they dispensed good to mankind, they were 
called demons. But others make them also " the dis- 
pensers of evil things as well as good to mankind, the 
plagues and the terrors of man, and the authors of much 
evil to them." — Proclus in Hesiod. See also Euseb, 
Frcep, Ev.j Lib. 3. c. 3. 

Homer, the cotemporary of Hesiod, makes Minerva 
*' retire to heaven to the palace of Jupiter and the other 
demons, nieta daimonas allousy These demons were 
" such as are removed from this life." — See Iliad i : v. 
222. Proclus in loco. 

But this is not the opinion held by others of the heathen 
philosophers. 

Thales, the famous Greek philosopher, who died b. c. 
548, held that the demons are spiritual beings, who never 
had been embodied as men. He divides the deities into 



OPINIONS OP THE HEATHEN. 89 

three calsses, viz. : Theos — God, the mind of the world , 
Psuchikai — Demons, spiritual beings ; and the Heroes, 
Heroos, The Heroes are the souls of departed men — of 
these the good are divine (agathas) ; the bad are vile 
(phaulas.) 

Plato, who died b. c. 348, says (in Sympsio) : " Pan 
to Daimonion metaxu esti Theou te kai tknetou. — The 
demons hold a middle place between God and men." 

Clemens Alexandrinus, in speaking of Plato, says : 
** HO Flaton de kai tots theois^^^ &c. Plato attributes 
a peculiar dialect to the gods, inferring this from dreams 
and oracles, and from the demoniacs, who do not speak 
their own language or dialect, but that of the demons who 
were entered into them. — Clem, Alex, Strom, i, 

Apulius, a. d. 40, {de Dcemonio Socratis) says of these 
demons, ^^ They are immortal, without beginning or end, 
always existing from eternity. — Immortales^ sine ullo vel 
fine vel exordio^ sed prorsus a retro CEviterni.'^'^ — Vid. 
Mede, p. 627. They certainly then could not be human 
spirits. 

Plutarch, who died about a. d. 140, makes two classes 
of demons, viz. : (I) Souls separate from bodies, and (2) 
such as never dwelt in bodies at all. Both are called de- 
mons. — See Flut, de defect, Orac. 

LuciAN, who died about a. d. 181, speaks of some in his 
day who ^' delivered the demoniacs from their terrors." — 
He then alludes to our Lord, as that Syrian of Palestine 
who cured the sick man, saying, " The man is silent, but 
the demon (ho daimon) answers either in the language of the 
Greeks or Barbarians, or whatsoever country he be. But 
he exorcising the demon, and also threatening him, if he 
did not obey, drives out the demon, exelaimei ton dai- 



90 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

inonay Liician was no Christian, and lience his testi 
mony is not without value. — Lucian in Philopsend, p, 853. 
It is said by some that the Jews held, in common with 
some of the heathen, that the demons were the spirits of 
men, and that Josephus is of this number. True ; he says 
in his work, (De Bello Jud. Lib. 7. c. 23,) ^' Daimonia 
tauta iDoneron estiii anthropon pneumata'^'' — which may be 
rendered, ^' These demons are the spirits of evil men." — 
This seems to be the correct translation of the words ; but 
whether he held that they were the spirits of bad men having 
entered into the bodies of others, or that these demons 
are spirits possessing evil men, we shall not decide. The 
former idea would be contrary to his faith as a Pharisee, 
and to the teachings of the Old Testament; and yet he 
might have believed it. (See Twills on Demoniacs.) 

FAITH OF THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS. 

It is a matter of very little consequence what the heathen 
of antiquity believed on the subject of demoniacs. We see 
they were divided in their opinion. But we think the hea- 
then world at the present time would give a united testi- 
mony in favor of the demoniacs being evil angels, as dis- 
tinct frora the spirits of departed men. 

That the Christians of the first and second centuries be- 
lieved in the reality of demoniacal possessions, cannot be 
doubted by any one who has read the early history of the 
church. They had power also to cast these evil spirits 
out of the possessed. The number of those who were 
afflicted by these evil spirits, and who had been relieved, 
was great. Many of them were converted and were re- 
ceived into the church. They formed a distinct class of 
Christians, and were under the special care and direction 



OPINIONS OF THE FATHERS. 91 

of the exorcists in the Primitive Church, and for a while 
were kept separate from the others. When they became 
perfectly restored from the diseases produced by the pos- 
session, they were permitted to unite with the congregation 
in public worship, and to partake of the Lord's Supper. — 
Some of these believers were at times afflicted by these 
evil spirits, as well as those who were not Christians ; and 
in all cases these demons were subject to the authority and 
name of Jesus Christ. (See Dr. Coleman's Primitive 
Christianity. 

We hesitate not to express our firm belief that the de- 
mons spoken of in the New Testament were fallen angels, 
under the control and guidance of Satan ; and that the 
spiritual manifestations which are witnessed in this coun- 
try, and in various portions of the Christian world, are in 
like manner the work of the same evil angels. This was 
the belief of the church in the first and second centuries, 
as to the demoniacal possessions then. Of this fact there 
is an abundance of proof 

Justin Martyr, a Christian Father, who died a. d. 
165, in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, says that "the 
gods of the heathen are demons, Daimones eisi oi Theoi 
ton ethnony This is the Greek translation of Ps. xcvi. 5, 
which in our translation reads " all the gods of the nations 
are idols {elilim vanities.") In speaking of Satan's de- 
ceiving our first parents, he calls him the ** man-hating 
demon. — Ho Quisanth-^opos Daimony It would seem 
from this use of the word, that he held these demons to 
be evil spirits, a distinct class of beings from the souls of 
departed men. 

In his apology to the enemies of Christianity, Justin 
says, ^^ many Christians thTOUghout the world, and even in 



92 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

your own city, simply by calling upon the name of Jesus 
Christ, have healed many that were possessed of evil spir- 
its, and still continue to heal such." 

Iren.eus, a little later in the second century, says, ^' that 
many through grace, received, from the Son of God who 
was crucified under Pontius Pilate, power to heal the sick, 
to cast out demons, and raise the dead ; that multitudes 
throughout the world daily exercised these gifts, without 
any magic, charm, or secret art, but merely by calling on the 
name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Adv. Hcer. ii, 57, 

Tatian, a Christian writer of the same age, a. d. 170, 
says expressly, that ^' the demons who govern man are not 
the souls of men, ouk Eisin oi ton anthropon psuchaV — 
Orat. cent. Greecos, p. 154. On a previous page he says 
(p. 148,) of demons, that ^^ they were ejected from the 
heavenly life, ekhletoi tes en ourano diaites gegenemenoi^'* 
that is, they were fallen angels. 

Theophiltjs Antiochenus, who was cotemporary with 
Tatian, says, (Lib.2, ad autocl., p. 1, 4,) that he who tempt- 
ed Eve in Paradise, was '' that mischievous demon called 
Satan, ho kakopoios Daimon^ ho kai Satan kaloumenos^ 
He could not possibly hold that this demon was the spirit 
of a dead man of the human race, when as yet there were 
none who had died. 

TepcTULlian, of Carthage, who lived at the close of the 
second century, appeals to Scapula, the Roman Governor 
of that province, and tells him that he had officers under 
him who were indebted to Christians for acts of kindness, 
though they might now oppose them, and then adds, '' for 
the Secretary himself is one who has been delivered from 
an evil spirit." ^' One may thank a Christian for the heal- 



OPINIONS OF THE FATHEP.S. 93 

ing of a relative, another for that of a son." Ter. ad Sea- 
pulam, 

TertuUian held that these "demons were invisible beings, 
endowed with spiritual power, living in the air, attending 
constantly on particular persons. They inflict on men's 
bodies diseases, and various grievous afflictions. They are 
the occasion of men going suddenly and extraordinarily 
mad. The subtlety and fineness of their nature enables 
them to enter into the bodies and the souls of men. Be- 
ing spirits, they have great power. They can act though 
they are invisible, and incapable of being felt ; and you 
must judge by the effect upon men, rather than by their 
act, which is invisible." 

TertuUian does not maintain that these demons are the 
spirits of departed men ; for he says, " esse substantias 
quasdam spiritales^ SfC.^'' " that they are certain spiritual 
substances," while he defines the human soul to be " corpo- 
ralis^'^ material. He also makes the demons to be authors 
of the fall of man. Apol. adv. Gent. c. xxii. De Anima c. 
xi: xxii, 

Cyprian, a. d. 250, held that the demons were fallen 
angels, the evil spirits who inspired the breasts of the 
heathen prophets, who are the authors of oracles, who 
creep into men's bodies, destroy their health, and cause 
diseases." Cyp. de Idolat, 

Arnobilts, a. d. 300, says that " the name of Jesus once 
heard, puts the evil spirits to flight, silences the prophets, 
and makes the diviners foolish." Arnob. adv. Gent. Lib. 1, 
§46, p. 74. 

Lactantius, a. d. 310, following his preceptor, Arno- 
bius, says, " Let there be set before us one who, it is cer- 
tain, is possessed by a demon, and the Delphic priest or 



94 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

prophet ; we shall sec them both in the same manner terri- 
fied at the name of God, and Apollo will with the same 
haste depart out of his prophet, as the spirit will out of 
the demoniac." Lib. iv. c. xxvii, 13, 14. ^'These de- 
mons being adjured by the name of the true God, imme- 
diately depart," p. 321, ed. 1698. 

EusEBius says that " the Heathen Prophecies and Ora- 
cles proceed from evil spirits^'''' and by this he means fallen 
angels. — Lib. v. c. 4. 

DEMONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHRIST'S 

NAME. 

In the '^ Martyrdom of Ignatius," sec. 4, Ignatius ad- 
dresses the Emperor Trajan, saying, ^^ But, if because I 
am a trouble to those evil spirits, you call me wicked, I 
confess the charge ; for having within me Christ, the Hea- 
venly King, I dissolve all the snares of those demons.'' 
Wakens Epis, Apos. Fathers^ p. 131. 

Theophilus of Antioch, says, '' Demoniacs are some- 
times, even to this day, exorcised in the name of the living 
God, and these deceitful spirits confess themselves to be 
demons, kai omologei aula ta plana pneumata einai Dai- 
monesP — AcL Autocl. Ed. Ox. I. 2, p. 17. 

Iren^us, speaking of the miraculous powers given to the 
true disciples of Christ, says, that they dispossessed evil 
spirits, exorcising them in the name of Christ. ^' Some," 
he says, " certainly and truly eject demons, oi men gar 
daimones elaunousi hebaios kai alethos.'^'' He speaks of 
" others who heal the sick by the imposition of hands, and 
restore them whole, alloi de tous.^'^ ^c. — Adv. Hcer. I. 2, c. 
57. 

OfvIGen says, so great was the power of the name of Je- 



OPINIONS OF THE FATHERS 95 

sus against demons that it has success, even when named 
by wicked persons, as Jesus himself taught in Matt, vii : 
22, " Many wUl say, in that day, have we not cast out de- 
vils, (Demons) in thy name— then will I profess unto them, 
I never knew you." ^^ It is plain that Christians use none 
of the arts of enchanters, but the name of Jesus Christ." — 
Orig. Cont, Cels.^ /.I. 

The case of the seven sons of Sceva, the Jew, (Acts xix : 
13-20,) is a proof of the fact that wicked men have tried 
to cast out demons, by using the name of Jesus. And 
when our Lord was charged by the Jews, for casting out 
demons, as being in league with the devil. He asks them 
by what authority their children cast out evil spirits. He 
does not deny the fact that they did do so. Matt, xii : 
22-30. 

Cyprian, in writing to Demetrianus, the Proconsul of 
Africa, a bitter enemy of Christians, says, ^^ ! that you 
would see and hear the gods of the Gentiles, when they 
are adjured by us and tormented by our spiritual scourges ; 
and cast out of the bodies they possessed, by the force of 
our words, when crying out, and lamenting with a human 
voice, and feeling the strokes of a Divine power, they con- 
fess the judgment to come : O si audire eos, Deos Gen- 
■ tium^ velles et videre^'^ ^c. — Cypr, Op. Ed. Ox.^ 'p. 191. 

Lactantius says that " the spirits adjured by the name 
of Grod depart out of bodies." As Christ himself cast out 
all demons by his word, so do bis followers now cast the 
same impure spirits out of men, both in the name of their 
Master, and by the sign of His passion." Lactan. de Sa- 
pient. ^ I. 4, c. 27. 

These quotations are quite sufficient to show us what 
the general opinion of the Christian Church, in the first 



96 SFIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

centuries of the Christian era was, in reference to these 
demons. They doubtless maintained that they were really 
and truly some of the fallen angels, who are under the con- 
trol of Satan, the Prince of the power of the air. The 
idea that they are the souls of departed human beings is 
without sufficient foundation, though the theory has now 
many advocates. 

But if we take into consideration the simple facts in the 
case, we must be convinced that the possessions in the days 
of our Lord, were by evil angels or spirits, wholly distinct 
from disease or from the souls of men. The facts are such 
as these, viz : 

1. They knew our Lord. Mark i : 24. 

2. They spoke to him, and made requests of him. Mark 
v: 7. 

3. The possessed were not always diseased, but some- 
times merely dumb or blind. Matt, ix : 32. 

4. Our Lord makes a distinction between healing dis- 
eases and casting out demons. Mark i : 34. 

5. The demoniacs themselves say that they were pos- 
sessed by evil spirits. The Jews said the same thing, and 
so did the apostles. And our Lord says he cast them out. 
Matt, iv: 25; Luke xi : 19. 

6. When the seventy disciples returned from one of their 
tours in preaching, one part of their joy was that the de- 
mons were subject to their authority when they used the 
name of Christ Jesus. Our Lord told them he saw Satan 
as lightning fall from heaven ; and bade them not rejoice 
so much, that the sjoirits were subject to them as that 
their names were written in heaven. Luke x : 18, 

7. These demons had a degree of knowledge and of 
power, which no human being ever had on earth. They 



SCR.PTTJRAL FACTS. 97 

knew that it was not the time fixed for their punishment 
when our Lord was on the earth. Such a knowledge was 
never revealed to man while on the earth, and no one can 
prove that the spirit of a man, after his departure from 
this world, receives such knowledge of the future. The 
strength of the demoniac was supernatural for man, and if 
we do not allow he was assisted by an evil spirit, it will 
be impossible to account for his wonderful strength. 

8. The Bible speaks of the Devil and his angels. Matt. 
XXV : 41 ; and if these which possess men are not his an- 
gels, it will be impossible to find them. Our Lord, we are 
told, went about doing good, and healing all who were op- 
pressed by the Devil. Now it is not likely that Satan 
should not employ his angels to oppress men in the flesh, 
but should employ the spirits of departed men to do that 
work for him, while his own angels are unemployed and 
idle. 

9. Unless we suppose the demons to be of the number 
of those who were cast out of heaven, it will be difficult to 
understand our Lord's remark, in Luke x: 18, where 
He says he saw Satan like lightning fall from heaven, when 
taken in connection with the saying of the seventy, that 
the demons were subject to them through His name. Our 
Lord and they referred to the same beings. 

It appears to us impossible to give any other explana- 
tion of these demons of the New Testament, that will solve 
all the difficulties in the case, unless we allow that they 
are really and truly evil angels, under the control of Sa- 
tan, their prince and ruler* With this view, everything 
concerning them is plain ; without it the whole history is 
obscured and involved. 



98 SriRITUALiSM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

SPIRITS NO^V SUBJECT TO CHRIST. 

If now we look at the present manifestations, and com- 
pare them with the demonical possessions of the Scriptures, 
no one can fail to perceive their striking similarity ; and 
we think must see that they are works more in accordance 
with the workings of Satan and evil angels, than with the 
works of good spirits or of the holy saints or angels. 

It is evident that the effects produced upon the bodies 
of men, women and children in this country and in hea- 
then lands, at the present time, are similar to those 
that were produced in the times of our Lord. And what 
is equally striking in the case, is that all of them are sub- 
ject to the name of Jesus. Command any wicked sinner 
here, or in India, for example, in the name of Christ to be 
silent, and what will the effect be ? Probably he will curse 
you to your face, and will repeat that holy name with 
scorn. But, speak to a person possessed in any circle of 
spiritualists now, and command the spirit in the medium, 
the possessed one, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to be 
silent, to depart from the person, or to leave the house alto- 
gether, and the effect upon the spirit is the same now 
that it was then. Evil spirits are compelled to submit to 
the authority of Jesus. They do it. But men in the flesh 
do not. 

There are instances in abundance on record, where these 
evil spirits have given responses to the inquiries, and when 
they have been adjured in the name of Christ to tell the 
truth, they have confessed themselves to be liars, and that 
their sole object was to deceive mankind. We might sup- 
pose that, after such a manifest proof of their satanic mis- 
sion, the spiritualists would see the impropriety, and the 



ANGELIC AND DEMONIAC POWER. 99 

folly of seeking information from such a lying source. But 
no ; the delusion is strong : and the very fact that the 
questioner has compelled the spirit to answer correctly, 
gratifies him, and still leads him on to ask from this lying 
spirit other questions to which he will give again lying an- 
swers, or such as might gratify the pride or vanity of the 
enquirer. Thus step by step the person is led along, until, 
having become accustomed to hear the truth of God's word 
called in question, or perverted, he insensibly begins to 
think that the Bible may be false in some things, or if not, 
that it should receive another interpretation which just as 
effectually destroys its power over him as if it were false. 
The man that begins to doubt the truth of God's word is 
already ensnared by the Devil. He may escape; but he 
should cry to God for help. 

We have already said that men do not lose their physi- 
cal powers now by their increase in wickedness : nor did 
the angels lose their power by becoming wicked. The 
devil contended with Michael the arch-angel about the 
body of Moses, (Jude 9) which shows us that he retains 
his strength still. He carried the body of our Lord up 
through the air, and placed it on the pinnacle of the temple. 
(See Matt, iv : and Luke iv.) The spirits broke the fet- 
ters, and chains of the demoniac, and no power of man 
could forge bands and chains too strong for the evil spirits 
to break. Good angels opened barred doors, and rolled 
away the huge stone that was at the door of the sepulchre of 
our Lord ; and Philip was carried through the air by the 
spirit of the Lord and was set down at Azotus. We have 
no right to suppose that the evil angels are not as strong 
now as they were before their fall, and that they do not equal 
the good angels in strength. From all we can learn from 



100 SriRlTUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

the Bible and from all we see of their operations now, we 
judge it is the case. 

TtlESP: SPIRITS ARE THE EMISSARIES 

OF SATAN. 

This is their true character. We are forced into this be- 
lief from considerations such as the followino- : 

o 

1. They do at times recall facts that are past ages ago, 
which no living man could know, but which are found af- 
terwards to be true, or at least so probable that they can- 
not well be doubted. 

2. They do unsettle the minds of many, and do lead 
many into madness, insanity and ruin. 

3. They have never yet been known to reveal any truth 
important for man to know, that is not already revealed to 
us in the Word of Grod, or that has not been discovered 
by the scientific aid of good men. 

4. They have never yet been known to lead one sinner 
to Jesus Christ for the pardon of his sins, and for the 
sanctification of his soul, nor is there one of the two mil- 
lions of spiritualists now in the land that has been savingly 
converted to God by spiritualism. They may have rapped 
the Universalism of one man, and the Atheism of another, 
out of them, and have made them believe that there is a Grod, 
and a future state ; but this is no more, after all, than the 
faith of the devil himself; and how much better are such 
believers in reference to future bliss, than they were before, 
or than Satan himself? Not a particle. Now, with all 
this ado about progress, and the New Philosophy, what, 
we ask, is the benefit of these manifestations that never yet 
did, and never can result in the pardon of one sin, or in the 
sanctification of one soul ? 



CHARACTER OF THE SPIRITS. lOl 

5. These spirits most carefully, studiously, invariably 
at all times, in all places, and under all circumstances, 
give their testimony against the Word of God, and the 
plan of salvation that therein is made known to sinful 
man. Their invariable feeling towards Jesus is the same 
that it ever has been. '' Jesus of Nazareth, let us alone ; 
what have we to do with thee ?" (Mark v : 24.) And what 
fellowship hath light with darkness, or Jesus with evil 
spirits ? 

They deny the fall of man ; they deny the fact of 
-Christ's atonement, and its necessity for the salvation of 
man, and by one fell stroke, sweep away the whole plan 
and purpose of God as revealed through the Mediator be- 
tween God and man, the man Christ Jesus. This is the 
invariable teaching of the spirits. And if there be a spir- 
itualist who yet holds a different view of the subject, it is 
because he had been previously taught so, for spiritualism 
does not teach the necessity of salvation through the ato- 
ning blood of Christ. And if Christ and his salvation 
be taken away the remainder will be of no saving benefit 
to the soul. 

AN OBJECTION ANS^VERED. 

It is said that spiritualism must be good, and from God, 
because many sick have been healed by or through the 
agency of mediums ; and it is triumphantly asked, would 
Satan do a good thing ? 

We reply, that for ourselves, we have no doubt that Sa- 
tan has a more thorough knowledge of the nature of the 
soul and body of man, than the most profound metaphysi- 
cian, and the most learned anatomist in the world ; yea, 
that he knows more than all of them together. He has 



102 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

been a stupid scholar if he does not. A course of study 
for six thousand years, by a mind that forgets nothing, and 
t)y one who can look into the mysteries of nature, must 
:)vmg in results which must infinitely (we might almost 
say,) surpass all that a fallen man of threescore years and 
ten can possibly attain. But wisdom is not goodness ; and 
doing a good act from a bad motive, is not good in itself, 
though it may be a good to some individual. The fisher- 
man will bait his hook well ; but it is to deceive and catch 
the silly fish. And why should not Satan, who must cer- 
tainly know, in many cases, what will heal diseases, pre- 
scribe the remedy, when he knows that by so doing he will 
gain the confidence of the restored one in the skill of the 
medium, and thus get honor to himself, who prescribes in 
the case. Surely Satan would have no objections to heal 
all the infirmities that '' flesh is heir to," if he could, by so 
doing, lead men to forsake the law of the Lord, and not to 
place their faith and hope in Christ. The few good things 
that may be done through the instrumentality of mediums, 
who may be sincere in all they do, can never compensate 
for the evils that must follow in the wake of these opera- 
tions. 

It is also said that many men, since they have embraced 
spiritualism, have become better men, so far as temper and 
disposition, and treatment of their families are concerned. 
We are always glad to hear that men have become moral, 
even if they do not become godly. But still, we say that 
while this change has taken place, it has been produced by 
such an agency, as to make them, if possible, more opposed 
to the plan of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
than they were before. Where, then, is the ultimate gain 
to them ? We ask the questions, and let the two millions 



TENDENCIES — SATANIC WISLOM. 103 

of spiritualists in this country answer them. Does spirit- 
ualism teach its followers to love and reverence the Word 
of God, the Bible, more ? Does it lead them to love the 
Church of Christ more ? Does it lead them to send out 
missionaries to the heathen, and to tell them of a Redeem- 
er for lost man ? Does it lead them to believe on the Lord 
Jesus Christ alone for salvation from sin here, and for glo- 
ry hereafter ? The answer, we hesitate not to say, will be 
to each and all of these questions, a decided no. Can such 
a faith be from God ? or can the agencies which lead to 
such results, be from God ? Surely they cannot be. 

THERE IS ^VISDOM HERE. 

We are well aware that many good people, and many 
worthy ministers of Christ, are disposed to treat this whole 
subject with what might be called sovereign contempt. — 
They think, or at least they say, that such things as table- 
turning, table-tipping, and rappings, noises, writing music, 
&c., are so supremely ridiculous, so far beneath the dig- 
nity of any mind, that even Satan himself would not con- 
descend to trouble himself with them. They have a higher 
opinion of Satan than that. It is too great a stoop for 
his angelic mind. Hence they affirm that the whole thing 
is a trick ; and because some do make money by it^ they 
affirm that all are alike, all are cheats or deceivers, and 
are palming off upon the people for realities, what they 
know to be falsities and lies. Such words of emptiness 
prove nothing. They rather confirm the unhappy subject 
of these operations in their defence of them, than show 
them how they may escape out of the fowler's snare. 

But so far from these things being supremely ridiculous 
and the manifestations of folly, there is in them a depth 



104 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

of cunning, and a profoundness of wisdom, and a far-reach- 
ing plan, which it falls not to the wisdom of man to de- 
vise. If it be the object of the Evil One to deceive and 
mislead man, and if it be his interest to conceal his own 
agency, and to urge on his victim to acts and thoughts in- 
creasingly hostile to God, by means seemingly consistent 
with, and apparently proceeding from man's natural powers, 
we can easily understand why phenomena — trivial in them- 
selves, but admirably adapted to excite curiosity and open 
up fresh grounds for research — should be selected, and how 
facts of a more prominent and imposing description would 
have been utterly unsuitable for such a purpose. 

Every one knows that slight interferences with the ordi- 
nary course of events are far more thrilling and exciting 
than larger manifestations of power. Gro into your bed- 
chamber, for example, and lie down upon your bed, in the 
stillness and the quiet of the night, and a slight rustling 
of the bed-curtains ; a gentle pulling at the bed-cover ; 
the real or imaginary foot-fall of some one on the floor; a 
slight tapping noise ; or a mistaken moaning of the wind, 
will produce more mental disturbance and more anxiety of 
mind, and will rob you of more hours of sleep, than the 
vivid lightning-flash or the heavy crash of God's voice of 
thunder in the heavens. 

It is precisely so with these spirit-manifestations of which 
we are speaking. People may laugh at them, and ministers 
of Christ may speak contemptuously of them ; but Satan 
knows what he is doing. He has not devised this plan for 
naught ; and never did he broach a more cunning and 
plausible scheme to ruin souls in an enlightened land than 
this. It would not do for a heathen world, but here it 
will ; for it tends in an especial manner to foster the pride 



SATANIC WISIjOM. 105 

of the unsanctified heart, by extolling reason and placing 
it above the inspiration of the Word of God. This plan 
falls in with the godless intellectualism of the age. Science, 
in the hands of these raen, arrays herself against revelation. 
They vainly suppose that the chapters which God has 
written on the stars in the heavens, on the hidden and vis- 
ible rocks of the earth, and on earth's rugged and scarred 
face, must of necessity contradict what He hath written 
by the pen of Moses in the book of the creation. Surely 
God cannot contradict, in the work of his hands, what He 
has written in the book of Eevelation. What astronomer 
or geologist, who is not deceived through the pride of his 
heart, can suppose that God, who is the Author of nature 
and of Eevelation, can in the least degree contradict his 
own testimony, wherever and however it may be given ? — 
And yet Satan would make men believe that, by reason 
and by science, they have made the discovery that God's 
Word, as revealed in the Bible, does not mean what it 



We would put down naught in malice on this subject, but 
would seek to speak the truth in love, and seek to show 
just what this last device of Satan does set forth to man in 
place of God's own unchanging truth. 

^' The grand aim and tendency of Spiritualism," says a 
medium of high authority, ^' is to unite mankind in har- 
mon3\" Hence spirit intercourse operates — 

^' 1. Negatively, by removing obstacles to practical re- 
form arising from undue concentration of mind ovi future 
interests^ to neglect of present duties. People are so intent 
on saving themselves from a supposed external and distant 
danger, that they ruin themselves internally by neglecting 
bhe culture of their higher and inner nature. Expecting 



i06 SriRITUALISxAI, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

to be saved hy something external^ they become selfish and 
degraded, so as to be incapable of realizing anything but a 
low phase of being, here or elsewhere. A belief in spirit- 
ual intercourse stimulates to self-culture and social re- 
form." 

^' 2. Positively^ by spreading a knowledge of the laws 
of life and health, physical and spiritual ; by energizing 
principles of love and wisdom, causing a desire for a true 
physical and a higher form of social life, measurably free 
from the selfish element^ gratifying the social faculties by 
association with congenial minds ; by developing our own 
spiritual nature, so that we can more readily perceive 
affinities^ r,iatrimonial and otherwise. Those in commu- 
nion with a class of spirits above them, run no risk of 
forming uncongenial matrimonial relations, as a spirit out 
of the form can perceive affinities more readily than a per- 
son in the natural body ; consequently, marriages formed 
by them will be happy ones, and the offspring of such, 
gentle and loving, harmonizing the future." — E\pitome of 
Spirit Intercourse^ p. 95. 

In plain English, we are here taught (1) that a fixedness 
of mind upon the great interests of the soul and of our fu- 
ture eternal interests, is an obstacle to practical social re- 
form in society ; or, in other words, the best reformers of 
society are those who think least about the interests of the 
soul, and who are not like one who said, ^' My heart is 
fixed, trusting in the Lord." 

(2.) That our salvation and future life depend upon the 
culture and development of our inner nature, and a knowl- 
edge of the laws of life, and rot upon Christ, who is our 
life. 

(3.) That the higher form of social life is that freedom 



SPIRIT-THEOLOGY. 107 

from the ^' selfish element" which says, " let every man 
have his own wife, and let every v/oman have her oivn hus- 
band. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevo- 
lence, and likewise also the wife unto the husband." — 1 
Cor. vii : 2, 3. The Free Love system is the heau ideal 
nf social bliss. 

(4.) That Christianity which teaches that the soul of 
man is saved by something external, or out of himself, 
viz. : by the blood and atonement of Christ, degrades hu- 
man nature, and makes it selfish. 

Here, then, we have the sum and substance of this 
boasted life, this new philosophy, this great scheme of 
social reform and of human regeneration, to which all 
these spirit manifestations would lead us. Such a system 
of doctrines as this, that excludes Christ and his salva- 
tion ; that denies his Divine nature, and debases him to 
the level of a mere creature ; that denies the redemption 
of the soul by the meritorious death of Christ ; that re- 
jects the Bible, the Word of God, as being a true revela- 
tion from God, and the only infallible rule of faith and 
practice, and with it all the doctrines it contains, is one of 
the devices of the Devil, by which he will receive for him- 
self a temporary power, such as he has not yet had, over 
the souls of men, before his final ejection from this world 
by the brightness of the coming of the Son of man. 

The few acts of relief to suffering humanity that may be 
performed by the so-called healing mediums, through spi- 
rit agency, supposing them all to be veritable realities, 
are but a part of the grand system of Satanic deception, by 
which the multitudes are led to place more confidence in 
them and less in God. It is the lure in the great game 
of life by which mortals, having gained a temporary respite 



lOS SriRITUALISAI, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

from bodily pain, are emboldened to trust their soul's sal- 
vation in the bauds of tliis skillful player, and lose their 
allj soul and body, at a throw. Oh ! it is a sad sight to 
see rational beings calmly and deliberately stepping from 
off the Rock of Ages, and venturing their eternal hopes 
■upon the quicksands of Satanic fraud ! Probation ended 
here, they are eternally undone unless they be found in 
Christ. But this Arch-deceiver would cheat poor, deceived 
humanity, by assuring them that man's destiny is one of 
final, endless bliss ; that progress, and progress in and 
toward perfect fellowship with God, is the law of our na- 
ture, and which must so develop itself, without a Saviour 
and without an atonement for the sins of man. 

Let us not be ignorant of Satan's devices. No earthly 
reform of human device can save this world from the 
righteous judgments of an insulted and offended Grod. 
This earth is destined for a baptism of fire. God has so 
declared it. And although Satan, who is neither omnis- 
cient nor omnipresent, holds now a permitted yet restricted 
usurpation of this world, and exercises his implacable op- 
position to God and man, yet he cannot surpass the limits 
which Jehovah, our God, has prescribed for him. God's 
pre-determined plans and purposes are moving onward, 
steadily and rapidly, and will infallibly result in the re- 
establishment of his authority and his will throughout the 
length and breadth of this wide creation. Satan, power- 
less to arrest the purposes of God, is ever watching his 
opportunity to oppose and disturb them, and is adapting 
his operations to veil and to resist the new developments 
of God's purposes as they successively appear. His vast 
intellectual resources ; his practical knowledge of the hu- 
man heart ; his uninterrupted acquaintance with the entire 



WHY THESE MANIFESTATIONS NOW ? 109 

Iiistory of this world for the past 6000 years combined with 
his unquestionable knowledge of the probable future^ so far 
as he is able to obtain it by the exercise of a profound intel- 
ligence in the examination of the records of revealed truth, 
not omitting his access to heavenly places, and the incal- 
culable number of his subordinate agents, all combine to 
impress us with the immensity of his sway, and with the 
greatness of that warfare which is going on between him 
and the Son of God. 

The deep and unfathomable mystery of those events pre- 
dicted in the Word of God ; of Satan's opposition to holi- 
ness and to God ; of his binding for a tliousand years in ' 
the abyss, and of his subsequent release for a season; and 
of his final and eternal banishment from God — his being 
cast into the lake of fire, with all those who may have been 
deceived by him, should be no barrier to their reception 
and belief They are clearly written for our instruction. 
And whether men believe what God has revealed to us or 
not, He will none the less certainly do His work. His strange 
work, and bring to pass His act. His strange act upon the 
earth. Is. xxvii : 2 1 . 

WHY THESE MANIFESTATIONS NOW? 

Satan always has a reason for w^hat he does, and we may 
be assured that there can be no : pecial manifestation of 
Satanic power or device, unless it b to oppose some special 
plan or purpose of God with which he may have been made 
acquainted, or which on the eve of being developed, he 
would, if possible, resist. The plans of God have all been 
laid back in the ages of eternity. They are all gradually 
being developed, and fulfilled. To us these plans cannot 
be known, except as they may be revealed to us in the 



110 srmiTUALiSM, a satanic delusion. 

"Word of God, or in their actual accomplisbment. And 
even those that arc revealed to us, most clearly in the 
Word of God, are concealed from us, in many cases, by the 
devices of Satan. He often forces men to put a wrong 
interpretation upon the promises and the predictions of the 
Word of God, so that we may be kept in ignorance of their 
true import. By so doing we lose the encouragement the 
promise is designed to give us : and we neglect to prepare 
for the events which the prediction assures are coming, and 
may be nigh at hand. 

We would not attribute to Satan what belongs alone to 
man ; but we are clear in our own convictions that no 
man ever did calmly and deliberately introduce a false 
mode of interpreting the Word of God, by which its blessed 
truths were obscured, its meaning mystified, and its encour- 
agements and warnings hidden from men, without being 
assisted by Satanic wisdom, and Satanic craft. God, by 
His sovereign grace, has kept the fountain of His own Word 
pure, and the Bible stands forth to-day, a miracle of God's 
wonderful power and goodness in its preservation. The 
Masorites may make a commentary on the Hebrew text in 
the >shape of points and accents, but the text itself remains 
pure. It is so also in the Greek original. God has pre- 
served it. Let us rejoice in this. Let any man, then, 
take the Word of the Lord, and with the best translation he 
can get of the original text, and with the teachings of 
God's spirit let him seek to know the will of God, and he 
will not be disappointed. He will know the truth. 

The Bible most clearly reveals to us the fact that the 
kingdoms of this world will, ere long, become the kingdom 
of our Lord and of his Christ, Eev. xi : 15; that Satan 
will be bound for a thousand years, Eev. xx : 1-4; that 



SATANIC POWER SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Ill 

angels will again visit our earth in forms visible to men, 
John i : 51 ; that this whole world will come into the pos- 
session of God's people, and will be ruled by them under 
the special control of our Lord himself, Dan. vii : 27; 
Rev. V : 10; and that the whole government of earth, as 
now managed by the men of this world, will pass away, 
and that Satan's usurped dominion on earth will forever 
cease. Everything in the signs of the times, and in the 
unfolding of the prophecies, shows us that the millennial 
glory of the Church, and of the world is not far distant. 
God will not introduce that glorious dispensation without 
some signal displays of His power and grace. Satan, from 
his knowledge of the Scriptures, and from what he sees of 
God's plans now maturing, plainly perceives that the day 
of his overthrow is nigh at hand. He has now but a short 
time ; and hence his special effort to keep the world of sin- 
ners still under his power. He is deceiving them by his 
false miracles, and by his pretended revelations from God, 
through the professed spirits of the departed, so that when 
our Lord shall manifest His miraculous power and won- 
derful workings again on the earth, the people will be dis- 
posed to attribute His divine workings and revelations to 
the same source whence these present manifestations spring. 
Thus will Satan continue to deceive the people. They 
will not take the warning that God may give them, and 
hence will not be prepared for the glories that are to be 
revealed in that day. 

Among the signs of the times of our Lord's near ap- 
proach, these Satanic delusions are not the least important. 
And while they exhibit to us another of Satan's plans to 
ruin the souls of men, they show us also how great is this 
power over man. Who would have thought that, from the 



112 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

Email beginuiDgs, in this country, of these manifestations 
in New York, in 1847, they would have spread all over 
our land, and in less than ten years would have led two 
millions of the people to reject Christ and his atonement, 
and to believe that they can, through these mediums, hold 
communion with the spirits of the departed, and get from 
them that satisfactory information concerning the future 
which the Bible withholds from us. But this is not all. 
The Spirit of God expressly declares '^ that in the latter 
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to se- 
ducing spirits and teachings of demons.'^ 1 Tim. iv : 2. 
They will speak lies in hypocrisy. The}^ will forbid to 
marry, and encourage vices of the most revolting nature, 
though spoken of by winning names. And such will be the 
power of these Satanic delusions, that all, save the elect of 
God, shall be deceived by them. It really seems as if 
these things are all being rapidly fulfilled in our day. 
The people would not have Jesus to reign over them, and 
now he is permitting them to believe a lie, the grand lie 
of Satan, that Jesus is not the Saviour of sinners, and that 
he has made no atonement for the sins of men. 

Years ago, we said, while speaking on prophetic subjects, 
that Satan would not surrender his hold on this world 
without a struoffrle, and that his efforts to deceive the world, 

CO J 1 

and to hinder the work of the Church of Christ, would be 
increased more and more in proportion as we approached 
the millennial dispensation of the Church, when Satan shall 
be bound and cast out of this world. And every day's ex- 
perience convinces us more and more of the truth of this 
statement. Indeed, the Scriptures assure us that, " as it 
was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of 
the Son of man ; or so shall the coming of the Son of man 



SPIRITUALISM ISOT NEW. 113 

be." Luke xvii : 26 ; Matt, xxiv: 37. The idea seems to 
be that there will be great wickedness in the world, and a 
great falling away from the faith in the Church. We do 
not suppose that any of those who are savingly united to 
Christ will perish-— but the Church, in its organized capa- 
city, will greatly depart from the faith and the zeal of the 
apostles, so that half of the virgins will be wise, and half 
foolish; but all will be asleep. Matt, xxv: 1-13. 

All this seems to be hastening to its accomplishment. 
And while the Gospel is in the act of being preached, in 
alL the world, for a witness unto all nations, and while it 
is gathering out of this world a people for God's name, 
(Acts XV : 13-17), Satan will, of course, make corres- 
ponding efforts to oppose it. His plans of opposing the 
progress of the Church of Christ, in this world, may all be 
reduced to two, viz : 1. Corrupting the Word of Grod ; or, 
in some way neutralizing its power upon the hearts of the 
people ; and 2. Dividing and distracting the Church, so 
that, instead of making a united and vigorous and per- 
severing effort to spread the Gospel, the news of salvation 
to the ends of the earth, her efforts are spent more than is 
needful, in the affairs of this life, or in contending against 
each other. 

SPIRITUALISM NOT NE^V. 

I. Spiritualism then, as a system, as now understood, is 
nothing new. It is only old error in a new form, and 
adapted to the refinement and the intellectualism of the 
age. Let any man read the history of the Church in the 
first and second centuries of the Christian Era in connec- 
tion with the New Testament statements, and he will find 
there all the errors, or the germs of them, that have been 



114 SriRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

used by Satan to harass tlie Church of God. The devil 
has no new plans in opposing the cause of Christ. He has 
used them all before. To us they may be new. We have 
to fight over again the battles the apostles and the Church, 
in past ages, have fought. Our weapons are the same that 
they had : and our foe is the same, and his plans and de- 
vices are the same. 

With the politician, in this land, Satan sounds the alarm 
of " Union of Church and State !" And hence, to save the 
State from being injured by the little religion that the 
Church can get incorporated into her laws, the effort is 
made to heathenize the people, by excludiog from the popu- 
lar education the Word of God altogether. No man, no set 
of men can vote to legislate the Word of the Living God 
out from the system of instruction that is adopted for the 
education of our youth, without his being under the direct 
influence of the devil. The man may not be conscious of the 
fact, any more than the mediums of the present day are, but 
that does not alter the case. The vote is cast to shut out 
God and his law from the youthful mind, that, in due time, 
is to control the affairs of the State, when the present voters 
shall be dead. " The law of the Lord is perfect, converting 
the soul ; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the 
simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the 
heart ; the commandment of the Lord is pure, (clear) en- 
lightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean (pure), 
enduring for ever ; the judgments of the Lord are true 
and righteous altogether.'^ Ps. xix : 7-10. If this be so, 
then any one can readily perceive why Satan should so 
perseveringly oppose the introduction of God's word into 
the soul. Educate the mind without the truth of God, 



THE WORKING OF SATAN. 115 

and you educate it for evil here and for woe hereafter. If 
the Word of the Lord by God's Spirit converts the soul, 
then it makes inroads upon the kingdom of Satan in this 
world, and hence this fierce and continued opposition. See 
the sad effects of this exclusion of the Word of God from 
the minds of the youth, as they are exhibited this day, in 
the faith, the lives and the hopes of eight hundred millions 
of the human race. Oh ! see the deep, deep moral night 
that hangs yet over them. Science and civilization, and 
the arts combined, can never dispel that darkness. No- 
thing can do it but the Word of God, blessed by His Spirit 
to the enlightenment and salvation of the soul. And this 
Word Satan would still keep from man. 

But, when he cannot keep the Word of the Lord from a 
free circulation, as it is in this and in all Protestant lands, 
then his plan is to corrupt, or pervert its meaning, so that 
being mixed up with error, its power upon the soul is lost, 
and it becomes an useless weapon in the hands of him who 
would do battle against Satan. In the first century, and 
before the apostles were dead, the Gnostics arose, who de- 
nied that the books of the Old Testament were of Divine 
authority. They held that marriage ought to be discour- 
aged, and that Christ was not a Divine person. 

The Nicholaitans were united to the Gnostics in their 
heresies, and were remarkable for their unbridled licen- 
tiousness. Their deeds were such as God hated. Rev. ii : 6. 

The Cerinthians, too, denied the Divinity of Christ, 
among other things. 

And in the second century, the doctrine of Christ's Di- 
vine nature was denied, in addition to the other errors 
already mentioned ; and Jesus was looked upon only as a 
man. 



116 SriRITUALISM, A SATAN. C DELUSION. 

So that we have there the same errors that are now em- 
bodied under the name of Spiritualism. That there are 
some who seem favorably inclined to this form of Satanic 
delusion, and who think that in reality it is, in some de- 
gree, a new revelation from God, and that they really do 
hold intercourse with the spirits of their departed friends, 
we doubt not. They are good people whom Satan is en- 
deavoring to lead astray. And if he cannot draw them 
away from their faith in the Word of the Lord, he will 
lead them to sin, as did Saul, in consulting with familiar 
spirits, instead of seeking light alone from God, and from 
His Word. 

THE WITCH OF ENDOR. 

Satan made Saul believe that he did in reality talk with 
Samuel. But he was deceived in this thing. Being forsaken 
of God, and knowing not what to do, he went, in open viola- 
tion of God's command, to consult with evil spirits, and to 
get if possible, from them, the information that God with- 
held from him. This history is full of instruction to all 
of our day ; and especially does it give a lesson of warning 
to those who are led away by the delusions of Satan now. 

The history is found at length in 1 Samuel xxviii. — 
Bishop Patrick, Dr. Clarke, and others, hold that the spirit 
of Samuel did really appear, and that this was done, not 
through the power or magical arts of tbe woman, but con- 
trary to her expectation, by the permission of God. But 
there is no necessity for supposing that the spirit of Sam- 
uel did actually appear. If Satan can transform himself 
into the appearance of an angel of light, so can he assume 
the appearance of any of the saints of the Lord. That 
Satan does, at will, assume different forms for the purpose 



THE WITCH OF ENDOR. 117 

of deception, is apparent from the Bible. These appari- 
tions are not confined to one age or plac-e. They occur 
whenever it suits Satan's purposes to take a shape or form 
that will aid him in his plans of deceit. It seerns impro- 
bable, for the following reasons, that the spirit of Samuel 
did really appear. Because, 

1. God refused to answer Saul by prophets, or by Urim, 
or by dreams, when he personally enquired of him. 1 Sam. 
xxviii : 6. Why then should he send Samuel from the 
spirit world, at the wish or conjurations of a witch, to do 
what he had just before refused to do ? 

2. Saul paid the spectre religious worship. He bowed 
his face to the ground and worshiped him. (Heb. vayish- 
tahoo, Vulg. adoravit.) This adoration Samuel neither 
could nor would receive, Kev. xxii : 8, 9 ; but Satan him- 
self could and did. 

3. He pretends to have been disquieted by Saul and the 
witch's power. This is putting the saints of the Lord, 
after their departure from this world, in the power of mor- 
tals on the earth. 

4. She represents the spirit of Samuel as coming up out 
of the ground. This accords exactly with Is. xxix : 4, 
which informs us that familiar spirits thus appear, and 
their voices issue from the ground. ^' And thou shalt be 
brought down and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy 
speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be 
as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and 
thy speech shall whisper out of the dust." 

5. The spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spi- 
rit had taken hold of him, and doubtless was still with him, 
and now appeared to him, dressed up like Samuel when on 
the earth. — 1 Sam. xvi; 14, 



118 SriRITUAL^M, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

G. The prediction of Saul's death was true as to tlie 
fact^ but not as to the time ; for it was not the next day 
that Saul died. But if the Hebrew word machar^ rendered 
*^ to-morrowj" means merely future time, then this is only 
what Satan might judge would be the case. 

7. Saul was cut off from life for two things. The first 
was for disobeying God in the matter of Amelek, v. 18. — 
The second was for asking counsel from one who had a fa- 
miliar spirit, (1. Chron. x: 13.) It appears impossible, 
then, that Samuel should be sent by the Lord, at the re- 
quest of a witch, and thus sanction a wickedness for which 
Saul was killed. 

8. The prediction that Saul and his sons should die on 
to-morrow, or soon, was true only in part. Three of 
Saul's sons were slain, (xxxi : 2,) but his two other sons, 
Armoni and Mephibosheth, lived, and were long after 
hanged by the Gibeonites, 2 Sam. xxi : 9, if we get the 
correct idea from this history. 

Not to multiply reasons which might be offered, we con- 
clude that Satan himself appeared in this case, and not 
one of his angels, as on ordinary occasions. ' And this 
would be sufficient to terrify the woman herself, and to ac- 
count for all that had happened. 

II. Satan's other plan is to distract the Church, or to 
divide her into fragments, and, if possible, array each sepa- 
rate family of the household of faith against the others.- — 
The different denominations of Christians now on the face 
of the earth, are a proof of Satan's power. While we hold 
the great doctrines of the Gospel, yet his influence is such 
as to mate God's people contend more earnestly for a form 
of faith than for the faith itself, and to spend more time 
and effort in defending a rite in the Church than would be 



TENDENCIES — SATANIC WISDOM. 119 

needful to save many from the power of Satan. And even 
in the matter of Spiritualism as now developed, we doubt 
not but he will lead many in the Church to hand over 
their brethren bodily into the hands of Satan, rather than 
to make prayerful and faithful efforts to save them from 
the fowler's snare. That Spiritualism, as it is now de- 
veloped in our midst, is a device of Satan to oppose, in 
anticipation, the coming and kingdom of our Lord, we 
cannot doubt. Our efforts should be, in love, to save, not 
destroy ; to compassionate, not condemn those who may 
be possessed by Satan. And if the Church of Christ, at 
first, had the power to cast out demons, why may she not 
do so yet ? Some kinds of demons can be dispossessed 
only by prayer and fasting. If God's people would seek 
from Him the faith they need, they may not only keep 
themselves out of the power of these evil spirits, but may 
cast them out of those who are now possessed. So saith our 
Lord; and so we believe. — Mark xvi : 17, 18. 

CONCLUSION. 

Not to extend these remarks any farther, we would say 
to any who have not thought it labor lost to read these 
pages, to put no confidence in the revelations that may be 
made by Satan and his angels through those whom he has 
employed as mediums. If they should at any time accord 
with the truth, that is only designed by him to win the 
confidence of the deceived, so that Satan may the more 
easily deceive them to their final undoing. The awful 
language of the apostle Paul, in 2 Thess. ii : 11, 12, is 
not without its solemn significancy at the present time, — 
*' For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that 
they should believe a lie ; that they all might be damned 



120 



SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 



wlio believe not tlie truth, but had pleasure in unright- 
eousness/' 

""Resist the Devil and he will flee from 3'Ou," is both 
the command and the promise of the Lord. " Have no fel- 
lowship with these unfruitful works of darkness, but rather 
reprove them. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye 
may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil ; for 
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against princi- 
palities and powers ; against the rulers of the darkness of 
this world ; against wicked spirits in the heavenly places, 
671 tois epouraniois,''^ — Eph. vi: 11, 12. 

"We quote, as very appropriate, at the close of these re- 
marks, the language of one who had been a warm advocate 
of Spiritualism, and who wrote and published much in its 
favor, but who, having seen the delusion in its right light, 
sends forth his warning voice to those who are yet led cap- 
tive by Satan unto his will. He says : 

'' Now, after a long and constant watchfulness, seeing 
for months and years its progress and its practical work- 
ings upon its devotees, its believers, and its mediums, we 
are compelled to speak our honest conviction, which is, 
that the manifestations coming through the acknowledged 
mediums, who are designated as rapping, tipping, writing, 
and entranced mediums, have a baneful influence upoii 
believers, and create discord and confusion ; that the gene- 
rality of these teachings inculcate false ideas, approve of 
selfish, individual acts, and endorse theories and principles 
which, when carried out, debase and make men little better 
than the brute. These are among the fruits of moderd 
Spiritualism, and we do not hesitate to say that we believe 
if these manifestations are continued to be received, and 
to be as little understood as they are, and have been since 



A WAP^NING VOICE. 121 

they made their appearance at Rochester, and mortals are 
to be deceived by their false, fascinating, and snake-like 
charmiDg powers which go with them, the day will come 
when the world will require the appearance of another Sa- 
viour [not another, but the Saviour himself] to redeem the 
world from its departing from Christ^s warnings." 

Again he adds — '^ Seeing, as we have, the gradual pro- 
gress it makes with its believers, particularly its mediums, 
from lives of morality to those of sensuality and immora- 
lity^ gradually, and cautiously undermining the founda- 
tion of good principles, we look back with amazement to 
the radical change which a few months will bring about in 
individuals, for its tendency is to approve and endorse each 
individual act and character, however good or bad these 
acts may be." 

He concludes by saying — ^^ Wc desire to send forth our 
warning voice, and if our humble position, as the head of a 
public journal, our known advocacy of Spiritualism, our 
experience, and the conspicuous part we have played among 
its believers, the honesty and the fearlessness with which 
we have defended the subject, will weigh anything in 
our favor, we desire that our opinions may be received, 
and those who are moving passively down the rushing 
rapids to destruction, should pause, ere it be too late, and 
save themselves from the blasting influence which those 
manifestations are causing." — J, F. V/hitney^ Ed. N, Y, 
Fathjinder, 

Here is a warning voice from a gentleman of whom we 
have no knowledge further than what we obtain from these 
brief extracts from his paper. But it is a warning most 
seasonable, kind, and true. May it be fully heeded. And 
may Grod give grace to those who are now deceived by the 



122 SPIRITUALISM, A SATANIC DELUSION. 

adversary, so that tliey may acknowledge the truth as it is 
in Christ Jesus, and that they may recover themselves out 
of the snare of the devil. 2 Tim. ii : 26. 

To all we would say — identify yourselves with the cause 
of Christ — love him and his cause sincerely. — Serve him 
faithfully. Rely for salvation on his atonement alone. — 
Walk by faith, and lead a holy life, and in the end you 
will triumph over Satan and all your spiritual foes. Then 
will you be able to sing the victor's song of ^^ Glory to 
God and to the Lamb :" and to shout aloud with a grate- 
ful heart, " thanks be to God who giveth us the victory 
through our Lord Jesus Christ." And in the language of 
the apostle we would say — ^' Yet I would have you wise 
unto that which is good, and simple [akeraious^ blameless) 
in that which is evil. And the God of peace shall bruise 
Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." Rom. xvi : 19-20. 



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